LEAGUE’S PREMIER MATCHUP
Foothill tennis roundup: Defending league champs picks up key win; Hart bounces back
Kate Zeile played like a rock star. Valencia head coach Annie Kellogg’s description of the junior singles player seemed off only in that Zeile’s impressive day was hardly glamorous.
Zeile, who was in the No. 1 singles spot for the day, battled back to win her final two sets after a grueling loss to West Ranch’s Quinterra Walter-Eze in round one.
But, more importantly, her teammates followed her lead, doggedly pushing past the final leg of back-to-back matches against their stiffest competition on Thursday with a 12-6 win over the Wildcats at West Ranch High.
“My kids had to come in here with confidence and determination to get it done today,” Kellogg said. “It was very hard-fought.”
West Ranch (6-3 overall, 4-2 in Foothill League) entered Thursday’s contest just one win behind Valencia (12-2, 6-0) for first place in league. And the Cats started with a bang.
Zeile and Walter-Eze’s set went for more than 1 1/2 hours, finally ending in a 7-5 Walter-Eze win and a 3-3 tie for sets overall after round one.
The victory proved costly for West Ranch, however, as Walter-Eze had to retire with a leg cramp early in her set against Amanda Tabanera in round two.
Tabanera swept three sets for Valencia, as did her teammate Jennifer Shin.
Shin took her sets all by scores of 6-0.
“We make sure there’s no pressure. Just have fun out there, just play your game,” Shin said.
West Ranch did outscore Valencia 5-4 on the doubles side, though.
Brittany Waugh and Olivia Bloome swept three sets for West Ranch, highlighted by a 6-3 win over Valencia’s No. 1 duo of Lauren Wolf and Gianna Benitez.
The Vikings still managed to follow
up their 12-6 win over Hart on Wednesday with a big step toward a second straight league title.
Valencia hasn’t lost to West Ranch since 2011.
Hart 11, Canyon 7 It was something like deja vu at Hart High Thursday.
For the second time this year, the Indians topped the Cowboys 11-7.
Hart’s doubles team of Alex LaForteza and Cassidy Wilkinson swept three sets for the Indians (7-6, 4-2), who bounced back after a loss to Valencia on Wednesday.
Hart single Natalia Munoz won two sets.
Her teammate Nicole Alvarez won two sets, as well.
But it was Canyon’s Katrina DeGuzman who again stole the show on the singles side. The Cowboys senior swept three sets to stay perfect in league play at 18-0.
DeGuzman beat Alvarez 6-2 but didn’t play Munoz, who left the match due to illness.
Saugus 14, Golden Valley 4 The Centurions are hoping Wednesday was a turning point.
Saugus lost a heartbreaker 9-9 (72-62 in games) to Canyon that day. But the Cents bounced back strong behind a trio of sweeps against the Grizzlies on Thursday at Saugus.
“Losing to Canyon (Wednesday) really hurt us,” said Saugus head coach Ken Jeffris. “... Yeah that match is definitely the pivotal match in this second round for us.”
Saugus’ No. 1 doubles team of Megan Cho and Carlie Ozaki swept three sets 6-1, 6-0, 6-0 to improve to 16-2 in Foothill League play on the year.
Sarah Tate and Brianna Achmad took three sets, too.
As did singles player Kendyll Burdick.