SENIOR LILY HAYWARD is Benicia’s No. 1 singles player and reached the SCAC title match in each of the past two seasons.

Benicia High’s girls tennis team has dominated the SCAC in recent years, and there’s no reason that should change when the Lady Panthers open their 2016 campaign at Vanden on Thursday.

The Lady Panthers have gone unbeaten in SCAC play three years in a row, winning 47 straight conference matches during the streak. Benicia’s last SCAC loss came against Vanden on Oct. 11, 2012.

Senior Lily Hayward returns as Benicia’s No. 1 singles player and anchors a veteran singles team lineup. Hayward reached the SCAC singles championship final in each of the past two seasons, losing both times to Vanden’s Kiwi McDaniel. But McDaniel graduated last spring, leaving the door open for Hayward to finally capture that elusive singles championship.

“She’s been playing lots of tournaments and is hitting with a lot more force,” Benicia head coach Lisa Burton said of Hayward. “We’re working on a few things but she’s looking pretty good. I think she can win the singles championship this year.”

Three of the next four players on Benicia’s singles ladder all played for the Lady Panthers last year. The exception is junior Melanie Fisher, who was a No. 5 singles player for Benicia in 2014 before missing 2015 due to school band commitments. Fisher almost beat out Hayward for the No. 1 spot during preseason intra-squad matches, losing 8-6 when the two faced off.

“She’s gotten a lot stronger,” Burton said of Fisher. “She really gave Lily a run for her money in our challenge matches. I was really surprised.”

Veterans Madeline Beyer, Emily Jewik and Madison Lammert hold down the Nos. 3-5 singles spots, respectively. Beyer, a junior, won 6-0, 6-3 in a scrimmage against Acalanes last week.

“She’s looking solid, too,” Burton said of Beyer. “She’s more consistent and is hitting the angles better. Her placement’s better and her placement with force is better.”

Jewik started on the JVs last year but moved up to play some doubles. The sophomore is a very consistent player who played over the whole summer. Lammert, a junior, keeps rallies going forever and is working on her short game and net game.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Tang earned the No. 6 singles spot. Tang played some doubles late last year and is another solid, consistent player who can play singles or doubles.

Senior Katie Voss returns at No. 1 doubles. Voss, who paired with Gabriella Traver en route to last year’s SCAC doubles championship, joins veteran senior Mariah McNally to form Benicia’s top doubles unit. Veteran junior Katie Steineman and sophomore Neha Yadav are at No. 2 doubles, while athletic freshman Viva Traver and sophomore Sam Pacheco start at No. 3 doubles.

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