Lawrence High junior Erin Ventura eyes her return during a match Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, at LHS.

Lawrence High junior Erin Ventura eyes her return during a match Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, at LHS.

Lawrence High's Kendall Pritchard smacks a forehand during a match Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, at LHS.

Lawrence High doubles players Yelena and Anna Birt celebrate a point during a match Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, at LHS.

There are a few matches when Lawrence High’s girls tennis players have lost focus. It’s usually at the end of a quadrangular when it’s tough to stay locked in point after point after playing in two previous matches.

Coach Chris Marshall has tried to help by mixing up the lineups, so the Lions didn’t have to play three matches in one day, and he has also tried to get them to adopt an aggressive style of play.

On Monday afternoon, the Lions took a step toward achieving both of those goals when they beat Blue Valley West in their final match of the day and ended with a 1-1-1 record at the LHS quad.

“They’re getting there,” Marshall said. “We have learned where to hit the ball. We still need to be a little more aggressive and confident.”

Caroline Baloga and Natalie Cote teamed up at No. 2 doubles and went 2-1 on the day, while Erin Ventura went 2-1 at No. 2 singles.

Baloga and Cote are used to their slow starts, and they dropped their first match before bouncing back to win the next two. Once they found their rhythm, they used weren’t afraid to hit aggressive shots down the lines in rallies and frustrated their opponents with accuracy on both forehands and backhands.

“(Caroline) has a really nice forehand, and I have a nice backhand, so it works out,” Cote said. “We have different strengths and different weaknesses, and it helps us be a pretty dynamic doubles team.”

Ventura didn’t have a strong day serving and instead relied on her forehand to win rallies and break her opponents’ serve.

“The first game, (my) forehands weren’t so good,” Ventura said. “But after that, after coach talked to me, I kept them out in front (of me), and I actually went for them.”

Sisters Anna and Yelena Birt went 1-2 at No. 1 doubles but won handily in their final match of the day. Kendall Pritchard also had a 1-2 record at No. 1 singles.

The Lions will face Manhattan at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at LHS.

Monday at LHS

Lawrence 2, Shawnee Mission West 2

No. 1 singles — Kendall Pritchard, LHS, def. Kathryn Brown, SMW, 8-7 (2).

No. 2 singles — Erin Ventura, LHS, def. Meilene Robinette, SMW, 8-4.

No. 1 doubles — Cao-Cao, SMW, def. Anna Birt-Yelena Birt, LHS, 8-0.

No. 2 doubles — Jessica-Cady, SMW, def. Caroline Baloga-Natalie Cote, LHS, 8-4.

Shawnee Mission Northwest 3, Lawrence 1

No. 1 singles — Tamerra Horton, SMNW, def. Pritchard, LHS, 8-1.

No. 2 singles — Carley Olsen, SMNW, def. Ventura, LHS, 8-1.

No. 1 doubles — Drummond-Freeman, SMNW, def. Birt-Birt, LHS, 8-3.

No. 2 doubles — Baloga-Cote, LHS, def. Macek-Sommerla, SMNW, 8-2.

Lawrence 3, Blue Valley West 1

No. 1 singles — Bryln Staats, BVW, def. Pritchard, LHS, 8-2.

No. 2 singles — Ventura, LHS, def. Briana Viazzoli, BVW, 8-1.

No. 1 doubles — Birt-Birt, LHS, def. Comeau-Strohs, BVW, 8-3.

No. 2 doubles — Baloga-Cote, LHS, def. F. Viazzoli-Skinner, BVW, 8-6.