Gilroy’s Anthony Christian returns a serve during Wednesday’s
6-1 match loss to Palma
GILROY – With its top three singles players lost to graduation and the fourth deciding not to come out this season, the Gilroy High boys tennis team has run into some hard times on the courts.
The Mustang swatters fell below .500 for the first time this season with Wednesday’s 6-1 league loss to Palma at Gilroy High School.
“It’s really different since I moved up four spots,” said senior Christian Rivera, Gilroy’s top singles player. “Our first three singles players graduated and our fourth from last year didn’t play this year.”
Rivera, a returning senior, played in the top doubles position last season with former teammate Tomas Carrillo, but made the switch to singles play this year.
“I’ve definitely improved. Doubles last year helped me with my volleys and return game,” Rivera said. “We’re getting a lot of new people in. It’s sad to say that two guys who could be playing in our line-up are not playing.”
Senior Mark Hsieh started with the team, but decided not to finish the season, and junior Daniel Carrillo stayed out a second straight year after cracking the starting line-up as a freshman.
Rivera, however, expected to play in the top singles spot and has all season long. In Wednesday’s match, Rivera lost in straight sets, 2-6, 0-6.
“He was just playing too good today. It seemed like there was nothing I could do,” Rivera said. “He was just overpowering me. No matter what I did he was countering me.”
The No. 3 doubles unit of Julian Mireles and Alex Santamaria picked up the Mustangs only win, but the entire line-up battled hard.
“They have a really strong team all-around,” said junior Ryan McBrearty of Palma. “I felt like I was doing as best I could.”
McBrearty, who got some action in the starting line-up last season, started in the No. 2 doubles position with partner Anthony Dragotto for the first time. The new duo fell in two sets, 1-6, 2-6.
“I feel I’ve improved a lot from last year,” McBrearty said. “The guys are fun to work with. We have a new team. We lost a lot of seniors from last year’s team, but we’re doing well.”
The top doubles tandem of freshmen Chris Adams and Ben Wilson also suffered a straight-sets loss to Palma.
“They’re just getting experience,” said first-year head coach Chris Wolowier, who replaced former coach Chris Yoder.
Junior Peter Adams, a doubles player last season, also is making the transition to singles play and faltered in straight sets, 4-6, 2-6.
“He’s just experienced. I played pretty well,” Adams said. “This year, I’ve been playing mainly singles. It’s really fun. I like singles a lot better. … Our team’s pretty thin, but it’s fun.”
Junior Anthony Christian lost a three-set thriller in the No. 3 singles spot, and senior Andres Sandoval, who was up in both sets, fell in two sets in the No. 4 position.
Up next, the Mustangs travel to Salinas today at 3:30 p.m.
