By Kevin Tran
The Fountain Valley boys’ tennis team fell to the Edison Chargers 13–5 on Monday, dropping to 0-3 in league play after their third match of the season.
Freshman Tri Le opened singles play for the Barons. He started off great by winning his earlier match points, but the Charger adapted to Le and eventually caught up. Le fell short with a score of 4–6 in the first round. Overwhelmed by his opponent’s quick and powerful serves, Le struggled to keep up.
With a close first match, Le rebounded in his second match, winning 6–1, dominating with fast-paced rallies against his opponent. Ultimately, he redeemed himself.
“Tri Le plays phenomenal every time he steps on the court,” head tennis coach Harshul Patel said.
Next up in singles was junior team captain Eric Tran, who played with strong control and precision. He dominated the first round, winning 6–1 with well-placed shots and footwork.
However, Tran struggled against a stronger opponent in his second match and fell 6–0, unable to regain control.
For doubles, seniors Nathan Luper and Raymond Phan played in the doubles number 1 spot. Luper delivered a powerful smash after a high return from the opponent, earning them a point.
Despite their efforts, they fell short in their first match with a score of 1–6, struggling with shot accuracy and coordination.
Next, for doubles No. 2, freshman Sho Takashima and senior team captain Vincent Nguyen teamed up. Although they lost a close match with a score of 5–7, their strong coordination and teamwork stood out as they battled through multiple tie-breakers.
Takashima and Nguyen bounced back to win their second and third matches with scores of 7–6 and 6–1, showcasing their growth and improved chemistry throughout their matches.
Lastly, in doubles No. 3, juniors Dylan Nguyen and Brayden Powell took the court. Powell delivered consistent serves, helping the duo secure their first game with an impressive 6–2 win.
“I had a hard time with returns in my third match,” Powell said. “I did really well in my first game.”
Unfortunately, the duo faced challenging opponents in their second and third rounds, with a hard time returning their opponents’ quick serves.
“We definitely wanted to play close matches,” Patel said, “because we’re finishing number three in our league, which is an incredible performance.”
The Barons’ next match will be at home against Corona del Mar High School at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
