It doesn’t matter that it lost its top four players. It doesn’t matter that it opened with its first loss since 2005.

For the Derryfield School girls tennis team, the faces change, but the skills, expectations and, in some cases, the names usually do not. So after falling in the Class M-S championship three straight times before finally securing last year’s title, the Cougars have no plans of relinquishing their crown this spring.

Heck, Derryfield coach Gus Moral sees no reason why they couldn’t capture even more.

“We can compete against anyone in any of the classes, from M-S to L,” Moral said, referring to the individual singles and doubles state tournament that follows the class championships.

“The other (M-S) teams are going to target us no matter what. Since 1998, we have been in the semifinals once and the finals every other year and have had three state titles. So when you’re performing at that level, people are going to be out there trying to get you.

“This isn’t foreign territory for us.”

Neither is some of the talent Derryfield returns.

Last year’s No. 5 singles player, sophomore Lydia MacKenzie of Bedford, steps into the No. 1 spot this season with a better all-around game than last year, Moral said. Behind her, senior co-captain and Bedford native Alice Townsend makes the jump from No. 6 to No. 2, while the rest of the lineup features new faces.

Junior co-captain Jessica Ginsberg of Bedford takes over the No. 3 spot and will reprise her role on one of the squad’s doubles team with Townsend; sophomore Camille Smith, playing at No. 4 and on doubles with MacKenzie, brings an aggressive approach to the court; senior Nguyen Doan should be a solid option at No. 5, Moral said, even though she is in her first year playing varsity; and Bedford’s Emily Mastrogiacomo, freshman sister of alumna Saym, one of last year’s captains, plays at No. 6.

The team hasn’t had the start it wanted, its first two matches postponed due to weather and its third a 6-3 loss to Gilford.

But after they battle the elements and their schedule early this year – five of their first six matches were scheduled to be on the road – the Cougars play six of their final seven contests at Derryfield in preparation for the playoff run.

If or when they earn that postseason berth, then they’ll feel right at home, challenging for the league title.

“Last year we had a really deep team, so we’ve filled the spots really easily,” Townsend said. “We’re definitely kind of the team to beat in other teams’ minds because we are defending champions, and we’ll definitely live up to those standards.”

Derryfield begins its stretch at home against Sanborn Regional on Friday, April 20, weather permitting, of course.

“But all the teams are affected by that,” said Moral, who took over as coach in 1998. “Yeah, it’s a problem, but we’re not playing any teams that just came from Florida. They’re from the next town, they’re having the same issues, the same frustration. So some of that will be how we let that bother us and how we manage those interruptions.”

Other Bedford residents hoping to push Derryfield to its second straight crown are sophomore Lauren Grimaldi and freshmen Emily Anderson and Molly Olsen.