The Chimacum girls’ varsity tennis team is still finding its way through the start of its spring season.

Chimacum coach David Porter described his players’ first match of the season, against the Kingston Buccaneers at their high school March 12, as a “very competitive match,” even as the score proved a relatively lopsided 6-1 in Kingston’s favor.

Porter praised Chimacum’s Christina Bell for winning third place in singles in a tiebreaker, but acknowledged that the team, as a whole, still needed more experience and a stronger defense.

When Chimacum returned home March 16, the team’s fortunes improved as it faced the Bremerton Knights, edging out the visitors by a 4-3 score.

Porter praised Chimacum’s “great team effort” for making the crucial difference, and commended Gladys Hitt in particular for placing second in singles with two scores of 6-0.

“Three of our doubles teams won, led by our second doubles team of Chloe Patterson and Grace Yale,” Porter said.

Chimacum was denied a second win when the team traveled to North Mason High School to face the Bulldogs March 19. North Mason handed the Chimacum players a 2-5 defeat.

“We were missing Anna Pace, which affected our doubles play,” Porter said. “If we’d had our full varsity lineup, I believe we could have won.”

Porter nonetheless was impressed by his first doubles team of Emma Craighead and Marley Music, who scored a win of a 6-1, 6-4, and with the team overall for continuing to improve its game.

Porter’s players suffered a second defeat of 1-6 against the North Kitsap Vikings, during Chimacum’s March 20 away game.

“North Kitsap has a very strong team,” Porter said. “Chimacum still played hard against probably the best team in the league, and didn’t give up.”

Porter credited Chimacum’s Renee Woods and Emma Craighead with a 6-2, 6-4 win in first doubles. And while teammates Grace Yaley and Chloe Patterson lost “a tough match” in second doubles, he lauded them for “showing a great deal of improvement and effort.”

Porter is looking forward to playing Klahowya at home March 26, Chimacum’s first 1A match.