Ridgeview cruises past Chavez, 8-1

Early in Wednesday’s playoff opener, Ridgeview girls tennis coach Laura Rice could sense something wasn’t quite right with her team.

Fortunately, whatever was troubling her squad didn’t last long.

After losing at No. 1 singles, the No. 4 Wolf Pack took control of the match, winning the remaining 12 sets en route to an 8-1 victory over a shorthanded Chavez squad playing without its No. 1 singles player Mailee Francisco.

I felt like we started out a little nervous,” said Rice, who has coached either JV or varsity tennis at Ridgeview the past 22 years. In the spring, when both boys and girls played during the same season, Rice coached the boys team. “I could kind of tell that a lot of them were a little nervous, but as they settled into the match it looked more like the team that I’ve watched play the last half of our season or so.”

With the victory, Ridgeview advances to host No. 5 Kerman in Tuesday’s Division III quarterfinals. The Lions defeated No. 12 Hanford-Sierra Pacific in their opening match of the postseason.

“They’re always a tough team,” said Rice of Kerman. “I know in the past few years they’ve done quite well so I know it’s going to be a tough match. We’re really going to have to be prepared to play.”

On Wednesday, the Titans’ Sarah Vargas took control of her match against Wolf Pack No. 1 Sadie Phillips and cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 victory. Vargas, Chavez’s typical No. 2 player, is seeded 12th for Friday’s individual South Area tournament which will be played at Stockdale.

But on the neighboring courts, Ridgeview was taking care of business.

Arianna Sullivan defeated Karanpreet aur at No. 2 singles, 6-1, 6-4, and her Wolf Pack teammate Sierra Bursett bested Daniela Franco, 6-3, 6-1.