You know that old cliché, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”?

In college tennis, one can’t do the latter without doing the former. To join the elite group of players who are nationally ranked, one has to beat nationally ranked players.

Emilee Malvehy is determined to do just that.

The 2007 graduate of Bear River High chose to attend Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. , in part because the school competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference, which boasts some of the toughest teams — and players — in the country. The ACC currently boasts three teams ranked among the top 10 and three more in the top 20, according to ncaa.com.

Now a sophomore at Wake Forest, Malvehy (pronounced “Mal-VAY”) is the Demon Deacons’ No. 3 singles player and is paired with junior Aileen Davis at No. 2 doubles. Malvehy is 10-9 in singles matches this season and 13-13 in doubles — 10-8 with Davis — after falling in both Wednesday at fifth-ranked Duke.

Against nationally ranked opponents in both singles and doubles, however, Malvehy is a combined 0-6. Though that record has Malvehy feeling “frustrated,” she aims to change that soon enough.

“I really hope to beat some nationally ranked players,” Malvehy said when asked her goals for the season. “I’d really like to get ranked nationally and maybe by next year play in the NCAAs.”

Winless though Malvehy may be against nationally ranked players, Demon Deacons coach Chad Skorupka said Malvehy actually enjoys facing top competition. In fact, Malvehy said that was a big reason she chose to play in U.S. Tennis Association junior tournaments during her high school years rather than suit up for Bear River.

Malvehy did fairly well in those junior tournaments. She was ranked 50th nationally in the girls 18-and-under age group when Wake Forest recruited her and was a three-time Northern California sectional doubles champion. In 16s, Malvehy rose to 30th nationally in singles and third in doubles with partner Christina Yee.

Skorupka says Malvehy’s best attributes as a tennis player are “her size (5-foot-11) and the power of her groundstrokes.” Malvehy believes her best quality is her aggressiveness on the court.

“She’s got a big serve, and she’s always looking to get up at the net more and more,” Skorupka said. “She likes to play an attack style of tennis. She’s steady at the baseline, but once she gets to the ball at midcourt she’s looking to approach the net.”

In the classroom, Malvehy is working on a double major in communications and education, though she’s not entirely sure she sees herself working in either field at the moment.

“I wish I could choose one,” she said. “My life would be a lot easier.”

On the tennis court, Malvehy believes she can join the elite group of nationally ranked players she has yet to beat this season if she can “play a bit smarter.”

“I’d like to cut down on unforced errors,” she said. “Sometimes they can affect my game.”

“She’s got a ways to improve, but she’s got a lot of upside,” Skorupka said. “If she reaches that upside, anything can happen.”