Only a month into its existence, the Firehawk tennis team faced the YULA Panthers April 8 at La Cienega Tennis Center and narrowly brought home a victory, 10-8.

Singles players Max Lipner and Adam Wannon  were each victorious with 3-0 sweeps of their opponents. Doubles pair Jonathan Dolgin and Elliot Sassover won in a doubles match, also with a 3-0 score.

“As a team we are good — we’ve come a long way since the last two matches,” said Jon, a senior who started playing seriously just two months ago. “Dedication and commitment is what will win us matches in the future.”

Shalhevet’s three singles players –Max, Adam and Michael Suriel — and all three of its doubles teams — Mathew Denitz, Amiad Davis, and Yonah Nimmer; Nathaniel Kukurutz, David Grinberg, and Micha Zana; and Jonathan Dolgin and Elliot Sassover — all participated with serves, volleyes, and grunts throughout the two-and-a-half hour win.

Considering the number of matches that had to be played, it was to be expected that the La Cienaga courts would be hectic.

One of the highlight matches for the 21 Shalhevet fans at the game was what they nickname the “French Connection.” At the end of every point played, seniors Nathaniel Kukurudz and  David Grinberg would shout out in joy or disappointment, depending on the previous play.

At one point, YULA players pleaded with Avi Meyerson, Shalhevet’s coach, to “tell them to stop yelling after every single point!”  Mr. Meyerson replied he could do nothing.

Despite the fact that none of YULA’s singles players beat Max or Adam, the Panthers’ coach was proud of their work, but wished that their doubles teams would improve.

“While I would like to see better play from our doubles teams, I am very happy with the play from our singles players,” YULA Coach Arthur Hoyle said.