San Benito’s doubles teams lead squad to victory
MONTEREY
San Benito girls tennis coach Ed Cecena knew before the season even started his team would be deep at doubles.
Through seven different opponents this season, totaling 21 doubles matches, the Lady ‘Balers have lost just one doubles match to date.
This week, against Watsonville on Tuesday and Monterey on Wednesday, San Benito kept their near-perfect doubles streak in tact, as the two-player pairings swept through both teams en route to a 4-3 win against Watsonville and a 5-2 victory at Monterey.
San Benito improves to 6-1 on the year.
“Our doubles is definitely our strength right now,” Cecena said.
The only time San Benito lost a doubles match was against Carmel on Sept. 5. Cecena was without some of his players for that match, however, and was forced to jumble the lineup as a result.
On Wednesday at the Monterey Tennis Center, San Benito’s top team in Marisa Ibarra and Crystal Perreira beat Kelly Kim and Val Bhundhumaim 6-3, 6-0, while No. 2 Vanessa Casalegno and Chelsea Yoakum followed with a 6-0, 6-0 win against Monica Haruin and Grace Bae. At No. 3, Rachel Smith and Lauren Ademek shut out Julie Lyn and Carissa Comier 6-0, 6-0.
In singles, Lady ‘Baler Amanda Marshall lost to Kelly Ventimilia 6-3, 6-4, while at No. 3, Hayley Barker fell 4-6, 6-4 (10-4) to Monterey’s Melody Miller.
San Benito’s No. 2 singles player Abbie Woods defeated Chelsea Windham 5-7, 6-4 (10-4), and at No. 4, Bri Ahumada-Wolfsmith beat Jordan Lichtenegger in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.
On Tuesday, Watsonville, which San Benito played in their season opener, was able to improve upon their previous score against the Lady ‘Balers at the Ridgemark Golf and Country Club, but still couldn’t defeat the hometown tennis team.
San Benito beat Watsonville 5-2 on Aug. 19, and beat them 4-3 on Tuesday.
The doubles once again swept, with Ibarra and Perreira beating Jessica Cortez and Julia Gagne 6-3, 6-1. At No. 2, Casalegno and Yoakum won 6-1, 6-3 over Brenda Rodriguez and Christina Fernandez, while Lady ‘Balers Smith and Ademek beat Andrea Rodriguez and Jill Valli 6-2, 6-3.
Lady ‘Baler Hayley Barker, at the No. 4 position, was the lone singles player to pick up a victory, as she defeated Wildcat Lizet Martinez 6-3, 6-1.
Otherwise, No. 1 Woods lost to Lucy Bagor 6-2, 6-3; No. 2 Ahumada-Wolfsmith lost 6-2, 6-1 to Karina Luquin; and No. 3 Kristina Slavic fell 4-6, 6-3 (10-3) to Mariela Llamas.
San Benito’s scheduled match against Live Oak Friday at home was postponed. They’ll return to the court on Sept. 18 in the Tri-County Athletic League opener at Ridgemark to host Notre Dame at 4 p.m.
