Tennis season is in full swing.

The Lady Roadrunners will take on the El Camino College Warriors Tuesday, Feb. 26 at Rio’s tennis courts. Sophomore Jane Quoch has a lot of different emotions going through her.

“Nervous,” said Quoch. “Same girls I competed against last year, but I’m excited.”

Rio’s coming off an impressive 8-1 win over the Mt. San Jacinto Eagles, so they will look to build on that momentum.

They’ll have an extra few days to prepare for El Camino, since their Feb. 21 matchup against Mount San Antonio College was cancelled. Coach Karen Unger likes the extra practice days, just not the weather.

As for what she hopes for the season, Coach Unger simply wants her girls to improve as players.

“Our goal is to keep improving, keep pushing…I want us to be the most improved team by the end of the season. I want our girls to keep getting better.”

It’ll be an interesting season for Rio, as the team is dealing with injuries. Girls who were originally playing reserve roles will take center stage and compete. Coach Unger likes the challenge.

“I love that every year is different,” says Coach Unger with a sly smile. “You get new personalities, different levels of experience. Keeps me on my toes.”

Quoch is looking forward to the new season and getting to know her new teammates.

“It’s fun to meet new people and be inclusive,” says Quoch with a beaming smile. “We get to bond and get closer.”

The matchup will be the Lady Roadrunners’ first South Coast Conference matchup. They’ll try to stay on top of their conference, as El Camino has already beaten a few good teams already. Despite the current records of her conference rivals, Coach Unger’s not going to get too ahead of herself.

“El Camino and Cerritos are pretty good this year,” she cautions. “Cerritos won the conference last year, so they’re a good team.”

First things first: get a win over El Camino. The match will begin at 2 p.m and take place at Rio’s tennis courts.

Deuces!