GHS girls tennis team rolls in 6-1 opening win over Lady
Cowboys
SALINAS – The Lady Mustang tennis team remained cool as ice for Tuesday’s T-CAL opener against host Salinas – which saw three thrilling three-setters and two tie-breaker sets before Gilroy pulled off its first 6-1 match victory.
“It was a great match. It could have went either way. Our girls played really well. I was really impressed,” said Coach Jennifer Yoder, who won in her debut after a one-year hiatus from the Lady Mustangs. “I think they were ready to play.”
Gilroy (1-0 in T-CAL) swept the four singles matches to clinch the best-of-seven win as senior top singles Valerie Huang cruised in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, and senior No. 2 Catherine Wilson notched a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) victory.
“(Huang) played really well. She had a lot great shots out there on the court,” Yoder said. “(Wilson) is only getting better. She’s really starting to enjoy the sport. She’s having a little bit more fun out there.”
Completing the singles sweep were a couple of doubles players with senior No. 3 Mindy Marquez hanginig tough for a 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 three-set nod and junior No. 4 Tasha LoPorto pulling off a big 7-5, 6-4 victory.
“(Marquez) has got her game going… I was pretty confident in my singles players,” Yoder said. “I do have two different line-ups that I could go either which day depending on the team I’m playing. I’m playing to win.”
The Lady Mustang doubles teams took two of three match-ups from Salinas with the top tandem of Amy Thomas and Alicia Shurley rebounding from a 1-6 first-set loss to take the next two sets 6-2, 6-1.
“They steamrolled the second set,” Yoder said. “They started playing the ball versus their opponents (in the last two sets) and started having a little bit more fun. They were just making it difficult on themselves.”
The No. 2 duo of Jackie Morales and Anna Nguyen also battled the distance – winning a 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 thriller in their first league match playing together.
“I think they do have a lot of chemstiry. I think they work well,” Yoder said. “They did an awesome job closing out the match. They closed out perfect.”
In the No. 3 doubles position, Tricia Press and Katie Bloomquist fought hard in both sets, but fell, 4-6, 5-7.
“It was a close match,” said Yoder, whose Lady Mustangs will head to Hollister on Thursday at 3 p.m. for their second T-CAL match. “They’ve got some good girls.”
