Despite tough, lopsided losses to powerhouses Santa Barbara and Harvard-Westlake, early victories against Archer and Notre Dame have given the varsity tennis team the confidence that it needs to rebound after a difficult 2008 season.

Last year, the team, depleted by graduations and a couple top players deciding not to play, went 4-7 under new coach Dale Jones, and its streak of 10 straight Sunshine League titles came to an end.

This year, players hope things will be different. With a new attitude and focus on each player’s individual game, the girls are working harder, and benefiting from their efforts, players said.

Jones said he began the season with intense tryouts in order to “secure the most competitive players we could get” and “re-establish a philosophy  that winners play for Marlborough.”

he said that tryouts resulted in strong new players, such as freshmen Eva Nofri ’13 and Lauren Yu ’13. He said he expects to give “a lot of playing time to our younger, hungrier players that will bode will for Marlborough in the future.”

Jones is not the only one who sees potential in the team.

“I think that we have such a great group of girls who are willlingto work hard on their tennis all season long, so we have a good season ahead of us,” said second-year team captain Lauren Boone. “We are focused on not only winning league this year, but also on improving each other’s individual game.”

Her coaches and teammates fully agree.

“Last year was hard because we lost a lot of players,” said sophomore India Yaffe ’12.

“This year we all want to work as hard as we can, and we want to win league, and I don’t think there’s anyone on our team who doesn’t have that desire,” she added.

After taking a 16-2 loss  Harvard-Westlake on Thursday, the team has a chance to get back on the winning track by beating Ramona Convent tomorrow. If they do, their record will be 2-0 in the Sunshine League, and hope will remain strong for taking back the league title.