Lakeville's Apponequet Regional High School may have the favored girls tennis team this year, but the Lady Bulldogs aren’t letting their nine-year streak go without making a racket.

The Old Rochester Regional girls have won 104 straight regular season matches, and coach Bob Hohne says graduating top players last year doesn’t mean they’re out of the running for another winning season.

“It isn’t that we were gifted with one or two players,” Hohne said of the streak. “Every year you graduate people.”

It doesn’t hurt that the team still has senior Abby Offringa on singles. According to Hohne, Offringa is “the greatest player in the greater New Bedford area.” And, he notes, sophomore Julia Nojeim is also strong.

The doubles still need to be figured out, the coach says.

“Friends like to play with friends. That isn’t always the best match. We’ll find out whose games complement each other the best,” he said.

Seniors Jillian Reichert and Kristin Nascimento are both back and hoping to improve their doubles game.

“We want to work as hard as we can to keep the title. At the same time, I want to have fun, enjoy the team, and have a good season,” said Nascimento.

In addition to Casey Garstang, Triona Cuddy, Rachael Brown, and newcomer Haley Dickerson, the team welcomed freshmen Morgan Middleton and Charlotte Levine, bringing the team's total to a slim 10 players.

“Usually, it’s the failure of the team that discourages people from coming out,” said Hohne. “Here, it’s the exact opposite. The continued success through the years has discouraged people from coming out.”

Still Hohne, a retired English teacher always ready with a pun (“This sport is such a racket.”), is less concerned about the size of the team than he is with developing consistency in his players and helping them prepare for their opponents. That includes the weather.

On a brutal, tennis-ball-whipping “spring” day at the ORR courts, he said, “Growing accustomed to the elements is the key, especially earlier in the season. You could play a match on a day like this.”

The team will play its first match, against Apponequet, on April 9.