A team of freshmen and sophomores should not be able to compete against junior- and senior- year opponents. Try telling that to the Bedford High School girls tennis team.

The Lady Bulldogs could care less about conventional wisdom. They just want to win.

And win they do. With a 7- 2 victory against Monadnock on Monday, May 5, and a 8-1 triumph at Milford the next day, Bedford High School’s first-year tennis squad improved its record to 7-3.

“We’ve been able to compete this year a lot earlier than most people expected us to,” said coach Pete Gagnon, a former Nashua High School standout. “We went into this year thinking it would be a year to develop some experience, but right off the bat ... you know, we’ve got such a great feeder program here in Bedford and a lot of kids played tennis before they got here, so they came in knowing how to play the game, and it made my job a whole lot easier.”

Sophomores Kirsten Jean, Lauren Prichard and Ally Mahoney, Bedford’s No. 1, 4 and 5, respectively, all played as freshmen for West High School last year, providing the youngsters with experience practicing and competing against some of the state’s top Class L players. Jean has won eight of nine matches, and she avenged her one loss.

“She’s really been playing amazing tennis for us and leading the way,” said Gagnon. “She’s been playing for I think five or six years, and tennis success seems to just run in her family.”

Kirsten’s sister, Sam, plays No. 1 as a senior captain at West. Freshmen Mackenzie Phelps and Laura Heestand, Bedford’s No. 2 and 3, and Jess Cutliffe, its No. 6, complete the ladder. Molly McGowan, Molly Williams, Jacinda Williams and Liz Therrien have also earned playing time.

It’s the team’s overall depth – in one particular match Bedford had only six players show up because of April vacation, and they still won competing with athletes as far down the depth chart as No. 12 – that has the squad in position to reach the eight-team playoff in its inaugural season.

“I think there’s a lot of good players at the top for each team, but I think lack of depth is an issue for a lot of schools, and that’s something we’ve really been able to take advantage of,” said Gagnon.

“Our top six is so strong. That’s how we’ve been able to win a lot of matches.”

Yet even Gagnon admits he feels like he’s playing with house money right now.

“The only thing that will sort of throw a wrinkle into our plans is that we’ll shift from the class we’re in to Class L two years from now because of the school’s size, so next year is really a great opportunity for us to be a powerhouse in this division based on the experience we’ve been able to have this year,” he said. “Hopefully, that experience next year will help us continue to have success as we make that transition.”

Forming the remainder of Bedford’s 17-player roster are Kay Heffernan, Emily Slivka, Jess Collins, Molly Olsen, Amanda Magiano, Ateka Mirza and Giovanna Roy.

Game notes
Against Bedford, Jean won her singles match, 8-3, then teamed with Phelps for a 9-7 doubles victory.

Prichard, Mahoney and Cutliffe also earned points in their individual matches.

Prichard and Heestand then won their doubles contest, 9-7, and Mahoney and Cutliff followed with an 8-4 triumph.