Jim Thorpe's girls tennis team might have the formula for a winning season.

The Olympians continued to add the right ingredients to that formula on Thursday.Jim Thorpe's 4-1 victory against an improving Blue Raider squad got it closer to that goal.If the Olympians (3-4) are going to surpass the .500 mark, coach Norb Lienhard knows that his team must come up big over the next few matches."We're going to hit the meat of our schedule," said Lienhard. "We still have lots of room for improvement. We need to be much more aggressive and we need to attack the net better, especially on the short shots."To be honest, we played well enough to win, but not the way I want us to play."Lienhard gave Tamaqua credit for forcing some of his team's problems."Tamaqua has improved since the first time we played," he said.In the first meeting, Jim Thorpe won by the same 4-1 score, but the matches were a lot more competitive on Thursday than they were a couple weeks ago."We are getting better," noted Tamaqua coach Rich Gibson. "Right now, we've got to get more production out of our doubles play, but our singles are starting to improve. "Some of our girls just need to know they're good enough not just to compete, but to win. We can't just go through the motions; our effort needs to be better. Otherwise, we really are getting there."Brooke Williams is one Raider who is already there. She needed nearly an hour-and-a-half to put away a feisty Leanne Van Essendelft, 6-1, 7-5 at No. 1 singles."She's a tough opponent, but to be honest I got tired after the first set," said Williams.The rest of the match belonged to Jim Thorpe."I'm proud of the way I played, it was awesome," said the Olympians' Christy McLean after defeating Alexis Breiner in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. "She (Breiner) played well too. I just felt comfortable, especially the mental part. I was focused."The day's longest match, nearly two-and-a-half hours, came at No. 3 singles. Kaitlyn O'Neil had to work overtime in both sets of her 7-5, 7-5 win against Molly Clemson.At No. 1 doubles, the Olympian team of Angelica Uzar and Evelyn Flores picked up 6-1, 6-1 sweep of the Tamaqua duo of Madison Wickersham and Emily Fisher."We are only playing together a short time," said Uzar. "We're starting to get to know each other a little better."The key in doubles is communication. "We do a lot of talking to each other, and that gives us a good feel for each other when we're out on the court," offered Flores.It was a sweep at No. 2 doubles as well for Thorpe, where Chloe Getz and Triselle Samules upended Annika Stahler and Jocelyn Rega in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0.QUOTABLE… Williams, who is an avid Patriots fans and was at the Super Bowl in February with her mom Pam, lauded her foe, Van Essendelft. "She brings out the best in me, she makes we work very, very hard."NO QUICKY… The match started at 4 p.m. and continued right up until near-dusk at 6:40 p.m.Jim Thorpe 4, Tamaqua 1SINGLESBrooke Williams (T) def. Leanne Van Essendelft 6-1, 7-5; Christy McLean (JT) def. Alexis Breiner 6-0, 6-0; Kaitlyn O'Neil (JT) def. Molly Clemson 7-5, 7-5.DOUBLESAngelica Uzar/Evelyn Flores (JT) def. Madison Weckeeshan/Emily Fisher 6-1, 6-1; Chloe Getz/Triselle Samuels (JT) def. Anika Stzhler/Jocelyn Rega 6-3, 6-0.