Bethlehem Catholic’s girls tennis team opened its season with a 7-0 victory over Nazareth, followed by a 7-0 loss to Parkland, and two more 7-0 wins against Pocono Mountain East and Whitehall.

The Golden Hawks’ match against the Zephyrs was rescheduled and played at Whitehall last Tuesday, one day before the remnants of Hurricane Ida descended upon the Lehigh Valley.

After a bit of a slow start, Becahi’s Cara Magliochetti defeated Sonakshi Sharma, 6-2, 6-0, at number one singles.

“When we were warming up, we were having rallies and she was serving really well and hitting the ball really well, so when I lost the first game and it was about to be her serve, I got really nervous, but then I calmed myself down and started focusing on the basics,” Magliochetti said. “The one point in my service game, she got the return back really fast, and I wasn’t ready for it, so I made sure to move my feet more and be in position.”

Becahi’s Taylor Adams won at number two singles, 6-3, 6-0, over Alexis Bundra.

“I was playing a little nervously and going for a little much in the first, and then I started buckling down and playing my game, so that helped me a lot,” Adams said. “There was one point when we both went up to the net, and I felt like it was a good back-and-forth-kind-of-a point, and I ended up putting it away for a winning shot, which was nice.”

Isabella Bautista, who was a doubles player for Becahi last year, climbed to the number three singles spot this season and defeated Miranda Ortiz, 6-0, 6-4.

“I didn’t expect to be playing singles this year, and the day of tryouts, I was just like, I don’t have anything to lose, and I guess it turned out. You have to keep up your own morale, but I do like the challenge because it’s a whole new realm of players,” Bautista said. “In the first set today, I was playing more aggressively, and in the second set, she won the first game, so I felt like I had to be more careful, and I think that led to some errors on my part. She picked up her game a lot, and became a lot more consistent in placing the ball better.”

Becahi swept all doubles matches with Patty Superka and Grace Hartman at number two over Afaf Nazim and Brenna Pangaio, 6-1, 6-0, Ella Trunzo and Maddie Lennert at number three over Olivia Toto and Giovanna Yacoub, 6-3, 6-0, and Claire Zaza and Ava Burkart at number four over Olivia Yarco and Camila Araque, 6-2, 6-0.

Also, at one doubles, Becahi’s Marisa Greenawalt and (first name unavailable) Mutis defeated Kennosh Browne and Aleksandra Nisiki, 6-1, 6-1.