Lady Mustang tennis team takes on Notre Dame to decide CCS
berth
GILROY – It’s now or never for the Gilroy High girls tennis team – which will take on Notre Dame today at Chamisal Tennis and Fitness Club in Salinas at 3 p.m. in a winner-take-all match.
Both teams finished with 9-1 league records to earn a share of the Tri-County Athletic League title – splitting two regular-season matches. But the T-CAL will only qualify one team for the Central Coast Section Playoffs – the winner of Tuesday’s match.
“It’s anybody’s match. It will come down to who wants it that day and I’m hoping the Gilroy Mustangs want it,” head coach Jennifer Yoder said. “These girls have what it takes to win it. I’m confident they can win. It’s only what they want to do.”
The Lady Mustangs were not notified until Monday about the decisive match – leaving only one day to prepare. Coach Yoder originally thought that the Lady Mustangs would get the CCS berth because Notre Dame went the last five seasons.
“We found out this morning. I think it’s better that we didn’t find out. There’s no time for the pressure to build up,” said senior Catherine Wilson, who plays in the top singles spot. “It was close (in our last match). I know how she plays now. She’s definitely beatable. Everybody had a case of the nerves that day.”
After beating the Lady Spirits by a slim 4-3 margin on Oct. 7, Gilroy suffered its only league loss against Notre Dame in a 6-1 decision on Oct. 23. Both teams won on their home courts. The third encounter will be at a neutral site.
“I can’t wait to win. I think we’ll do really good,” said senior Katie Blomquist, who teams with senior Tricia Pruss in the No. 3 doubles position. “This is it again. We get another chance to take advantage of it.”
The Lady Mustangs were hard at work on the Gilroy High courts yesterday – prepping for the biggest match of their season.
“I think we can win. We beat them the first time so we can do it again,” said senior No. 3 singles Mindy Marquez, who lost in three sets in the second meeting. “It’s exciting. It’s another chance to beat her.”
Senior No. 4 singles Megan Leuchars brings her undefeated 7-0 record into the match – which will be her first time going up against Notre Dame.
“I didn’t play in the loss. I’ve been waiting to play Notre Dame. I went to Notre Dame my freshman year,” Leuchars said. “We can’t think about the pressure too much. We need to stay in the moment. I don’t want to see how other scores are going (while I’m playing.)”
Senior No. 2 singles Valerie Huang was the only winner in the Lady Mustangs’ 6-1 loss to Notre Dame.
“It was mentally the most challenging match I’ve ever had to play. I was on my game,” Huang said. “We’ll see what unfolds.”
Coach Yoder wanted to set up a winner-take-all match after the season ended in a tie and now her wish has come true.
“It’s just who is ready to play that day. I’d love to say all our players could win, but it depends on how they’re feeling on that day,” Yoder said. “I’ve given them the tools… It’s up to them if they are going to pull the tools out of the tool box.”
