No. 1 player Nathan Foo (11) and No. 2 player Jack Zhao (9) each won their singles matches 8-5 to lead West Shore past Melbourne High School in tennis action Thursday. The pair later teamed up for an 8-3 doubles match victory, while Vaughn Addington (11) and Ben Burgess (11) won their doubles match 8-6.

“I won against a quality opponent,” Foo said. “My best plays were when I came to the net and put away volleys.”

Foo said he was equally pleased with his doubles match victory.

“Our strategy was to keep the balls in consistently while also placing them in difficult places to return,” he said.

Zhao said Foo’s serves were important for the doubles win.

“Our opponents didn’t have good returns, so it was easy to pick them off when the gave us easy balls,” Zhao said. “Nathan was playing well and we got a lot of points off of just his serves.”

Zhao also celebrated his individual victory.

“The guy I played was probably the best opponent I’ve played this season so far,” he said. “I was able to pick on his high backhand returns, and I was sending some pretty fast balls deep in the service box.”

According to Zhao, the team victory was important in the Cape Coast Conference standings.

“Because of this win, we are basically guaranteed [at least] second place in the Cape Coast Conference,” he said.

By Liam Schutte