The Cedar Rapids Washington girls tennis team has won 13 straight matches this season and is ranked No. 2 in the state.

The Warriors want more. They want to win the Class 2A state title after finishing third in 2011, and they could have the team to do it.

"We set the goal at the beginning of the season to go undefeated. And they're working real hard. They took it to heart," Coach Dan Reyner said Tuesday. ""It's important to all the girls."

Washington stayed undefeated Tuesday with an 8-1 victory over Kennedy in a Mississippi Valley Conference meet on a gray, overcast day at the Washington courts.

The Warriors have all of their top players back from last season and have received a boost from freshman Lily Hartman, who hasn't lost a match all year and has climbed to No. 3 in the singles rotation ahead of more experienced teammates.

"We're deep," said junior Kristin King, who plays No. 2 singles. "It's probably the best thing we have going for us."

Senior Katie Hammond raised her record to 11-0 with a 10-1 victory over Sarah Lasecki at No. 1 singles, then rushed over to Kingston Stadium to play in a varsity soccer match against Dubuque Wahlert. King is 13-0 at No. 2 singles, Hartman is 13-0 in the No. 3 spot, Olivia Brooks is 12-1 at No. 4 singles, Lanie Sabin is 12-1 at No. 5 and Rina Moore is 11-0 at No. 6.

There's not a soft spot in the lineup.

Reyner quickly grabbed one word to describe his team's play this season. "Awesome," he said after the Warriors beat Kennedy.

Reyner feels this is the strongest team he's had at Washington during his 12 years as head coach.

"We are so incredibly deep. I've told these girls all season long, our 2-3-4 girls could probably play No. 1 on over half the teams in the state," he remarked.

The Warriors lost to Iowa City West, 5-2, in the semifinals of the state tournament last year, then blanked West Des Moines Valley 5-0 in the consolation match for third place. Ames defeated Iowa City West for the 2011 state title and the talented Little Cyclones are ranked No. 1 ahead of Washington right now.

"Ames will definitely be the toughest team we'll play if we see them at state, so hopefully we will," said King.

The goal isn't to face Ames, the goal is to beat Ames in the state finals. "Definitely," said King, "and I think we have a good chance."

Reyner is thinking the same way. "We want to meet Ames," he said. "They're going to be tough."

The Warriors finished third in the state tournament last year with an entire lineup of underclassmen. They're older and more experienced now, with three seniors and two juniors in the lineup with Hartman, the ninth grader.

"I definitely am proud of third," said Brooks, one of the seniors who helped the Warriors win the consolation match at state. "Of course I would love to get second or first, but I'm definitely proud of third. We lost to West last year and they definitely deserved it. They played well."

Brooks embraces the goal of winning the state title this time. "We're going to give it our all. No promises," she said.

So far, so good.

"This season has been awesome. We're really playing well," said King. "Every single member of our team has done really well."

The postseason tournaments begin next week.

WASHINGTON 8, KENNEDY 1

Singles
1. Katie Hammond (W) def. Sarah Lasecki, 10-1.
2. Kristin King (W) def. Katherine Thompson, 10-3.
3. Lilly Hartman (W) def. Lindsey Minder, 10-2.
4. Olivia Brooks (W) def. Alexa Mitchell, 10-1.
5. Lanie Sabin (W) def. Rachel Gilman, 10-3.
6. Rina Moore (W) def. Melanie Abzug, 10-2.

Doubles
1. Lasecki/Minder (K) def. King/Brooks, 10-7.
2. Hammond/Sabin (W) def. Thompson/Mitchell, 10-8.
3. Hartman/Moore (W) def. Gilman/Abzug, 10-0.