The boys tennis team lost 4-1 against Thomas Jefferson last Thursday.

Senior Carter Smeal said that while Baldwin was able to hold long rallies, the team needs to improve on its serves and overall mental strength. He said Baldwin was not able to close out games and matches as much as TJ was.

“The other team did well pressuring us and taking advantage of some of our weaknesses,” Smeal said.

He said the team was able to close out the second set, and that he won his own match. Smeal also said that his teammate, senior Nikita Petruk, played especially well.

“He had a tough match,” Smeal said. “He went to three sets.”

It was Petruk’s first game after a break from tennis, so it was hard. Still, he said he felt good while playing.

“It was an intense game,” Petruk said.

The team will aim for improvement for the next game, he said.

“Next game just get better – more consistency, more power, more emotional,” Petruk said.

The next match is on Wednesday against Trinity.