Last year Bakersfield Christian's Delaney Roche fell just short of her goals finishing third at last year's Valley Championships. Although she grew up playing tennis, last year was her first time playing on a team and says she learned a lot from her experience.
She still feels the sting of last year's defeat and is using that as her motivation this year. "I feel like I know more what I need to do to prepare for Valley," she said. "Mentally, to make myself ready for that at the end of the season."
With an end of season goal it can be easy to let up in the early season matches but Delaney has remained incredibly focused. She's cruised to an 8-0 record and hasn't dropped a set since last year's Valley Championship. But her dominance goes even deeper. Through 8 matches she's only dropped one game. With 6 games in a set that gives her an incredible 96-1 record to start the season.
"She has tenacity, she has leadership skills," said head coach Frank Thiessen. "She is an individual that is very confident in what she does."
Thiessen said she competes at a very high level and has the rare ability to raise her game to the level of her competition.
For not dropping a single set to start the year Delaney is our female athlete of the week.
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