With a 4-3 conference record and 4-8 overall record, the Bakersfield College men’s tennis team is third in the Western State Conference going into their next match against LA Pierce on March 16.

The men’s team had a bit of a rough start, losing its first three matches and then having three more canceled because of weather conditions.

Since that rough start, things have been getting better, as they have beaten Fullerton, Santa Barbara, Victor Valley, and LA Pierce in recent matches.

The first week and a half of March, they had matches almost every day, many of them as result of postponements from earlier in the season.

“You know a lot of these other teams have guys who have been playing at this level for a while now, and they had the means to expose and prepare them for this kind of exposure,” said head coach Nick Jacobs.

“My guys know what they  need to work on, and this season has taught them all a lot of things. They weren’t expecting a lot of the things that have happened this season to happen. I tell my guys don’t give up because the match ain’t over until you shake hands, and the score is written on the paper.”

Their next opponent is LA Pierce in an away match, taking place March 16 at 2 p.m. The Renegades previously defeated LA Pierce 7-2 on March 4.

BC will host Santa Barbara on March 21, beginning at 2 p.m.

The Bakersfield women’s tennis team has continued to roll through the season, improving its record to 7-1 in conference and 14-3 overall.

Their next match is at home against Santa Monica on March 16, starting at 2 p.m. Since March began, the women’s team have also had to play a few back-to-back matches from March 2 through March 9. Out of the five matches they have played since the month began, the women have won three.

Those were all 9-0 victories against San Francisco, Chabot and Victor Valley.

The losses were both 5-4 to Canada and Glendale.

“Our women’s team has come so far over the past three years. They went from literally winning individual games to having a shot at regionals,” said Jacobs.

“We have all local girls from around the area. The women’s team has been great to watch this season.” The main focus for the women’s tennis team right now is winning as many matches as possible and making a dent in regionals with hopes of making it to state.

“I’ve talked to [assistant coach] Nick [Loudermilk] about this, and we both feel the girls can make it to state. They are gritty girls who handle their business on the court, and essentially that’s all we can ask for.”