GHS boys tennis sweeps Viks for 7th straight T-CAL win.
GILROY – The Gilroy High boys tennis team extended its winning streak to seven league matches Tuesday with a 7-0 home sweep of North Salinas for the second time this season.
“They are much more polished than they were a couple of weeks ago,” said head coach Chris Yoder, following another impressive showing by the Mustangs. “They are poised for a title defense. We’re the team-to-beat.”
After losing their opening T-CAL match to Salinas, the Mustangs (7-1 in T-CAL, 7-2 overall) have turned the corner by beating every team in the league at least once – including their return bout with Salinas – to sit atop the standings.
“We’ve kind of found our rhythm. We’re back in the groove. Everyone is playing a lot better.”,” said senior Tomas Carrillo, whose No. 1 doubles unit with senior Ray Rivera roasted Vikings’ Vinh Pham and Daniel Estrada in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1. “We’re coming out each match a little stronger and we’re practicing harder.”
At the No. 2 doubles position, Gilroy’s Anthony Christian and Peter Adams made short work of North Salinas’ Kenny Rimka and James Golden, 6-1, 6-0, to remain undefeated as a team beginning late last season. The No. 3 duo of Ryan McBrearty and Chris Adams completed the doubles sweep with a 6-3, 6-0 nod over Vikings’ Kenneth Parker and Andrew Weinberg.
Moving up the ladder to No. 2 in the Mustangs’ singles line-up, senior Jacob Pniewski breezed past North Salinas’ Ty Jordan, 6-0, 6-2.
“I’ve played that guy before and beat him. I knew if I really just put shots in play, he’d make a mistake sooner or later,” said Pniewski, who played at the No. 3 and No. 4 singles slots earlier this season.
“I’m feeling like I finally am getting into my game for the season,” he added. “I didn’t have my rhythm because I was sick and I had a concussion before that. I lost a lot of practice time.”
In the No. 1 singles match-up, senior Robbie Marques continued his tear through the top league players with a 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) victory over Vikings’ Daniel Kutter.
Senior No. 3 man Mark Heisy went three sets against North Salinas’ Darwin Fernandez en route to a hard-fought 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 comeback win.
“I wasn’t coming to the net, attacking,” said Heisy of the turning point in his match. “I started going to the net. Before I was just hitting everything back from the baseline and I would either hit it out or in the net. Once I came in, those didn’t matter.”
Junior No. 4 singles player Mark Hsieh – sporting a fresh new haircut – took out Vikings’ Mark Petix in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, to finish the day for the Mustangs.
“He had really consistent strikes,” Hsieh said. “I felt the only way I was going to win and not drag the match on was attacking the net more.”
The Mustangs will bring some more tennis action to Gilroy High today as they play host to Pacific Grove at 3:30 p.m. in a non-league clash. Gilroy then returns to league play with a March 27 home bout against Palma at 3:30 p.m.
