A small crowd sat paralyzed in the South gym, watching Corinne Belandres, 20, nursing major, smack strong hits on the birdie with her racket to get a match point, win her singles match and give the team two valuable points.

Unfortunately it was not enough, as the women’s badminton team lost 17-4 against East Los Angeles College on March 20. The game was played at #C in the North Gym of campus.

“I think this is really a mental game. Once you get past the mental part of this game, everything is easy,” Eblandres said.

Belandres had a successful game as she gave the Warriors most of the points they earned playing in the doubles and singles games.

East LA College dominated the Warriors; their experience showing as they won almost all the singles and doubles games.

“They are good; they are prepared, and I guess that is what you have to do in this game,” Natalie Medina, 20, kinesiology major, said. “I did horrible; I felt like my mind wasn’t into the game.”

Most of the girls had a bad performance during their singles games, but they felt very comfortable in their doubles games.

Belandres was the bright spot throughout the matches.

“Honestly, I played better in the doubles because my partner is excellent, so together we make an amazing team,” Breanna O’Dell, 19, undecided, said.

Benny Cedano, equipment attendant, was happy with the results. Cedano usually attends the women’s badminton team matches, and said that the girls are improving a lot in their third game.

The women’s badminton  team needs to be confident and keep working hard to improve their scores in the next games against Pasadena City College and EC Compton.

For Belandres, confidence is the key.

“It’s all mental,” Belandres said.