Rachelle Obbey knows drama.
Rachelle Obbey knows drama.
When she’s not on the tennis court, the Live Oak sophomore often performs at the Children’s Musical Theatre in San Jose. She knows what it’s like to have all eyes on her performance.
But even Obbey was a little nervous Thursday as all eyes turned to her No. 2 singles’ match with Gilroy’s Amy Huang. The Acorns and Mustangs had split the first six matches – this was the decider.
“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, everyone is watching,” Obbey said.
No worries, though. The actress delivered.
After Obbey handily won the first set, 6-1, Huang fought back to force a seven-point tiebreaker, which the GHS freshman squeaked out, 8-6.
It was on to a 10-point tiebreaker to decide not only the match, but the team victor.
“After the first set, I didn’t think we’d have to go on so long,” Obbey said. “So I didn’t really want to play in that tiebreaker.”
Nerves aside, she ended up winning the last seven points of the match and defeated Huang, 10-2.
“I was really excited,” Obbey said. “I really wanted to win today.”
Joining her in the win column were her three other singles’ teammates. In fact, Live Oak (2-2) won all three individual matches, while Gilroy (1-3) pulled out all three doubles’ matches.
For the Acorns, No. 1 Shaila Padel defeated Jessica Ortiz (6-3, 6-1), Katie Reneteria held off Heather Leuchars (6-3, 6-4) and Karissa Watanabe beat Kayla Medina (6-1, 6-1).
“We all have our days,” GHS head coach Rose Harmon said.
Nevertheless, the first-year coach said she was happy to see Huang hang in until the very end.
“After her first loss of the season, she was really hard on herself,” Harmon said. “Every game, she’s improved since. She’s getting better and better.”
Huang seconded that notion, calling her match with Obbey the best she’s played all year.
“I didn’t even know it was the deciding match,” she said. “I was just trying to do my best.”
The Mustangs also received their best from the doubles’ players.
The No. 1 tandem of Anna Nguyen and Tasha Loporto easily disposed of Mattie McClenuy and Brittany Sholars (6-0, 6-1).
They also received victories from the Robben Beckman/Monica Valdez team (6-4, 7-5 over Sarah Correa and Jasmine Tharay), as well as Alyssa Perez and Michelle Vappa (6-0, 6-0 over Erica Rianda and Veronica Caldron).
Golfers come up short at home
A 200 score used to be considered a more-than-solid showing for the Lady Mustang golfers.
After Thursday’s 172-200 loss to a very tough Santa Catalina team, though, it didn’t seem the group was all that thrilled with its performance at the Gilroy Golf Course.
And no one was more disappointed in their play than Campos. Gilroy’s top golfer expressed dismay after her nine-hole round of 40, which was topped by only one other competitor, Santa Catalina’s Eleana Collins (38).
“I’m not very happy,” Campos said. “It could’ve been so much better.”
The team’s recent success – the Mustangs haven’t shot over 200 in four straight outings – has raised expectations, noted assistant coach Barbara Wind.
“That’s what’s starting to happen,” she said. “The girls are realized they can play with the best and their expectations are getting higher.”
Overall, none of Gilroy’s golfers – Carissa Filice (50), Amy Kishimura (54), Amanda Bruce (56) Carla Navarro (58) and Rowena Tabilas (59) – shot 60 or above.
“We’ve gotten so much better,” Wind said. “Not one score out of the 50s … that’s wonderful.”
