Opening up the Trans-Valley League season on the road, the Escalon Cougars tennis team battled to a 5-4 win at Ripon on March 18.

Notching victories were Girls Singles #1 Mya Beary 6-3, 6-3; Girls Singles #2 Mikayla Schut 6-0, 3-0 (Ripon forfeit-player got sick); Boys Doubles #1 Jack Fitzgerald and Eli Lattig 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Girls Doubles #2 Madelyn Page and Ella Adams 6-1, 6-0; and Mixed Doubles Kara Kennedy and Trent Berchtold 6-3, 6-3.

Taking losses on the day were Boys Singles #1 Wyatt McCune 3-6, 6-3, 5-7; Boys Singles #2 Chaz Cisneros 0-6, 0-6; Girls Doubles #1 Elizabeth Shelley and Madison Faria 2-6, 2-6; and Boys Doubles #2 Evan Shafter and Dylan Criteser 6-2, 3-6, 7-10.

Coming home for a match on Wednesday, March 20, the Cougars defeated visiting Hughson in dominating fashion, 8-1.

Only loss was at Boys Singles #2, Cisneros 5-7, 4-6.

All of the wins for the Cougars came in straight sets, noted head coach Jackey Blakeley, who said the team worked hard and the players are excited to get underway in league with two wins.

Against Hughson, victories came at Boys Singles #1, McCune 6-2, 6-3; Girls Singles #1 Beary 6-2, 6-1; Girls Singles #2 Schut 6-2, 6-2; Boys Doubles #1 Fitzgerald and Lattig 6-2, 6-0; Girls Doubles #1 Shelley and Faria 6-2, 6-3; Boys Doubles #2 Shafter and Criteser 6-4, 6-4; Girls Doubles #2 Page and Adams 6-4, 6-1; and Mixed Doubles Kennedy and Berchtold 6-1, 6-1.

The team is scheduled to host Riverbank in a TVL contest on Friday, March 29 starting at 3:30 p.m.