Turlock High’s number one singles player, Natalia Lima, fell short against Golden Valley High’s Lindsay Robson on Thursday in only her second individual loss of the season, but solid play from the rest of the Bulldog (7-1 CCC) squad was more than enough to claim team victory as the Cougars fell 8-1.

Jillian Temple, Mila Johns, and Lauren Carlson defeated their singles opponents with ease, contributing to the winning effort with straight set wins, while Jenna Anderson and Madeline Hillis put in a little more work for their individual victories, taking three sets to finish off their Cougar counterparts.

Doubles partners Ans Viss/ Nina Thompson and Naomi Valadez/Kayla Gilkison also had a relatively easy time on the court with straight set victories of their own. Viss and Thompson’s win held more significance as the duo redeemed themselves after suffering their only loss to Golden Valley earlier in the season.

Two days removed from its first loss in five years, Turlock battled through fatigue and heat to bounce back and continue its quest for a league title.

“After Merced beat us we took a day off and regrouped,” Turlock’s head coach Linda Bejaran said. “When you lose it gives you the opportunity to show what kind of sportsman you are. When they came out Thursday they were really ready to go.”

The Bulldogs, who have been forced to travel for every match this year while their courts undergo renovation, ended their toughest week of competition against the Cougars and are now looking forward to next week’s matchups with Atwater and Pitman High.

“We’ve had a lot put on our plate this year and I think they’ve done a good job dealing with it,” Bejaran said of her girls. “I’m proud of them.”