Panthers undefeated in EYL
Play MHS next for first place in league
The Porterville High School girls tennis team picked up their fourth straight East Yosemite League win with a 9-0 victory over Delano at home on Wednesday afternoon.
Porterville (9-7, 4-0 EYL) remains tied for first place in league with cross-town rival and reigning EYL champion, Monache. The Panthers travel to the Marauders’ court on Monday, Sept. 25 for a 4 p.m. match that will give the winner sole-possession of first place in the EYL.
“It’s where it is usually most years,” said PHS head coach Kurt Nielsen. “We’re playing Monache for first place. That’s where it’s usually been. [Tulare] Western’s been in the mix before although they’ve never won it. They’ve gotten second place to either us or Monache. So throw the balls out and see what happens.”
Against the Tigers, Nielsen said his team did good, but acknowledged that Delano was missing three of its players due to homecoming week.
“[Delano] was missing three players so they weren’t maybe their strongest lineup,” he said. “But yeah, we were solid. The scores were one-sided. Rather be 4-0 than otherwise.”
The Panthers breezed through the singles portion of the match and only dropped a total of six games.
No. 3 Araceli Mejia and No. 6 Jewelia Maniss both won their matches 6-0, 6-0 for PHS. No. 2 Jenny Smithey and No. 2 Sierra Mitchel won 6-0, 6-1, while No. 4 Chloe Weaver won 6-1,
No. 1 Claire Nuno was challenged a little, but won her sets 6-2, 6-1 to continue her undefeated streak.
“Well just young team trying to improve,” said Nielsen about the team’s focus. “Seniors trying to lead. Like Areceli, No. 3, she’s coming out strong. She came up from doubles last year all the way to No. 3 and she’s won almost all her matches. She won all her matches in league. She’s been very, very good at No. 3. Claire’s gone from [No.] 2 to [No.] 1, so she’s improved. Jenny’s gone from [No.] 6 to [No.] 2.”
In doubles, Porterville sophomores Weaver and Mitchel teamed up to win the No. 1 doubles match 8-1. Sophomore Erica Palad and junior Hannah Walker swept through the No. 2 doubles match for a quick 8-0 victory.
In the No. 3 doubles match, sophomore Zeila Rivera and junior Elena
Facio went up 2-0 on their Delano opponents before dropping a game and then winning the next two. Delano’s team won the next three games before Rivera and Facio rallied back for an 8-4 win.
Age and experience is Nielsen’s biggest concern heading into next week’s match against the Marauders.
“But for as far as we’ve come with [three seniors and] five sophomores, we’re doing as well as we can,” he said.