Serving as the host for the first time this season, Orestimba High tennis fell to Escalon High 6-3 on Friday.

Throughout the afternoon, the Cougars were dominant in the boys’ singles, boys’ and girls’ doubles and in the mixed doubles’ matches. The Warriors won both of the girls’ singles matches.

While it's the result he didn’t want, Warriors second-year head coach Nolan Osborn said the team put up a better performance this year in comparison to last season’s matchup.

“Last year, we didn’t do so well against Escalon [High],” he said. “But this year, I can say we put up more of a fight.”

Orestimba’s Mirella Fregoso dominated her girls’ singles matchup against Escalon’s Violet Dasilva, winning 6-2, 6-0. Ashlynn Bell followed suit as she didn’t allow a point against Brianna Gallo through two sets, winning 6-0, 6-0.

In the boys’ double, Escalon won three out of the four matches played. In Orestimba’s only win in the dual match section, Jose Rodriguez and Nabeel Ali were dominant against Logan Wentzell and Co Northcutt, winning 6-4, 6-3, in two sets.

In mixed doubles, it was a back-and-forth that went to a third set. After Orestimba’s Alejandra Franco and Jesus Jimenez won the opening set, Escalon’s Selan Jansen and Christian Ramirez responded with a 6-2 in the second set to force another extra set. In the final set, both teams were persistent as it went to a tie-break. Jansen and Ramirez held off Orestimba, winning 10-8.

As the season continues, Osborn has continued to emphasize to his players the importance of being mentally focused in a match. “Mentally we were, I would say, better prepared to start, and they (the players) were well composed overall, even if they were down, they didn’t put their heads down,” he said.

The Warriors travel to Millennium High on Tuesday.