Central Valley’s and Ceres High’s girls tennis teams opened Western Athletic Conference play last week.

The Hawks won both of their matches.

The Bulldogs secured a split.

“I’m really happy we got the win,” Ceres High first-year head coach Jesse Apodaca said. “We just have to keep working hard.”

The Bulldogs secured their first victory under Apodaca’s guidance at home on Thursday.

Ceres High earned a hard-fought 5-4 win while battling Johansen.

“It was kind of a pleasant surprise,” Apodaca stated. “It confirms all the work we’ve been doing at practice.”

The Bulldogs won five of six singles matches versus the Vikings.

Dania Gallo Padilla’s 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 win over Mechelle Morgan in No. 6 singles play propelled Ceres High past Johansen.

“I was biting my nails when I was watching her play,” Apodaca said. “I didn’t tell her the match was riding on her. I didn’t want her to feel pressure.”

Gallo Padilla displayed grit after Morgan forced the third-and-decisive set.

“It showed me she has a lot of mental toughness,” Apodaca said. “She kept fighting.”

Ceres High’s Alyson Brumbaugh defeated Kiara Carlson 7-5, 6-3 in No. 1 singles play.

Martina Meglioli defeated Stephanie Oraha 6-1, 6-3 in No. 2 singles play.

Nerisha Singh defeated Savannah Galicinao 6-1, 6-2 in No. 3 singles play.

Tatiana Zamora defeated Oliva Sanchez 6-0, 6-2 in No. 4 singles play.

Kassandra Hernandez lost 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) to Divina Garcia-Twidwell in No. 5 singles play.

The Bulldogs dropped all three doubles matches to the Vikings.

Denisse Gonzalez and Xaimara Corona Mejia lost 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 to Jocelyn Tovar and Yeretzy Iniguez in No. 1 doubles play.

Carmen Medina and Aileen Rocha lost 6-1, 6-4 to Janelle Perez and Antwanique Harper in No. 2 doubles play.

Cazandra Fregoso and Mia Miller lost 6-3, 6-2 to Mattea Diasen and Dayana Vazquez in No. 3 doubles play.

“Our singles players really stepped it up,” Apodaca said. “We have a lot of work to do in our doubles. They haven’t won a single match this year.”

Ceres High opened the season with an 8-1 loss at Livingston on Sept. 9.

“They were pretty good,” Apodaca said. “We had our chances to win (matches). They were a little more mentally tougher in crunch time.”

Zamora prevented the shutout.

She defeated Jazleen Torres 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) in No. 4 singles play.

Brumbaugh lost 1-6, 6-4, 6-0 in No. 1 singles play.

Meglioli lost 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) in No. 2 singles play.

Singh lost 6-0, 6-3 in No. 3 singles play.

Hernandez lost 6-3, 6-2 in No. 5 singles play.

Gallo Padilla lost 6-0, 6-0 in No. 6 singles play.

Fregoso and Xochiti Hernandez lost 6-0, 6-1 in No. 1 doubles play.

Medina and Rocha lost 6-4, 7-5 in No. 2 doubles play.

Gonzalez and Corona Mejia lost 6-2, 7-6 in No. 3 doubles play.

Central Valley topped Pacheco 8-1 on Thursday in Los Banos.

The Hawks won all three doubles and five of six singles matches versus the Panthers.

Valeria Sanchez and Selena Cubillo prevailed 6-1, 6-1 in No. 1 doubles play.

Emily Carranza and Natalia Campos prevailed 6-2, 6-3 in No. 2 doubles play.

Samantha Sarabia and Lauren Salvatera prevailed 6-2, 6-0 in No. 3 doubles play.

Aleena Higle prevailed 6-3, 6-3 in No. 1 singles play.

Harkiran Sandhu prevailed 6-4, 6-0 in No. 2 singles play.

Aaliyah Jauregui prevailed 6-0, 6-0 in No. 3 singles play.

Serath Birring prevailed 6-1, 6-1 in No. 5 singles play. 

Roxana Orozco prevailed 6-4, 6-2 in No. 6 singles play.

Valerie Espinoza lost 6-3, 6-3 in No. 4 singles play.

Central Valley shut out Grace Davis 9-0 on Sept. 9 in Ceres.

The Hawks swept all six singles and three doubles matches against the Spartans.

Higle prevailed 6-3, 6-1 in No. 1 singles play.

Sandhu prevailed 6-0, 6-1 in No. 2 singles play.

Jauregui prevailed 6-0, 6-1 in No. 3 singles play.

Espinoza prevailed 6-3, 6-3 in No. 4 singles play.

Birring prevailed 6-2, 6-2 in No. 5 singles play.

Orozco prevailed 6-1, 6-2 in No. 6 singles play.

Sanchez and Genesis Velazquez Pedraza prevailed 6-0, 6-3 in No. 1 doubles play.

Carranza and Campos prevailed 6-2, 6-0 in No. 2 doubles play.

Sarabia and Karla Robles prevailed 6-1, 3-6, 10-4 in No. 3 doubles play.