De Soto High School hosted a home Quad tournament for the varsity girls’ tennis team hosting Lansing, Leavenworth and Shawnee Heights on Sept. 11.

The Wildcats swept Lansing and Shawnee Heights 4-0 and split their matches with Leavenworth 2-2.

“They [our opponents] were doing pretty good,” senior Josie Bedford said. “We’ve been doing well also, but a lot of the teams have been pretty even, which is nice.”

Individually, sophomore Issa Sullivan went 3-0 at the No. 1 singles spot, and Bailey Ramsdell also went 3-0 at No. 2. In doubles, Bedford and senior Kelsey Heer went 2-1 at No. 1 doubles and senior Rhegan Ramsdell paired with senior Carley Bodenhausen to go 2-1 at the No. 2 spot.

Heer noted some of the positive aspects of this year’s team.

“We have great coaches that make it iit[tennis practice] fun,” Heer said. “And we also have good players. We don’t have a lot of drama happening, which is good, [since] it doesn’t interfere with anything. A lot of people get along.”

The members of the team this year are well placed, according to Bedford.

“Both of our doubles teams are seniors,” Bedford said. “We’ve all had a lot of experience. All of us are all-around good players. None of us really have any big weak points, and Hoffman’s a great coach, and so is Hudson.”

Heer described one challenge facing the team this season, from her perspective.

“Tennis is very mental. We make mistakes that we don’t normally make sometimes, just because we over think, or [at least] I know I over think a lot,” Heer said. “So, if I’m hitting a really good shot and I’m about to try it, then I focus on it too much and then it goes out. So, tennis is very mental.”

The team has, however, been strengthening the skills of its players.

“I know that a lot of the doubles teams are working on new drills and new ways to receive the ball,” Bedford said.

The varsity squad is in action again on Wednesday at the Baldwin Invitational and will have a key tournament with potential Regional opponents this Saturday at Mill Valley.