Just last week, San Benito tennis coach Ed Cecena spoke of his
team’s surprising start to the season, and the surprising depth
there was on the doubles teams.
Hollister – Just last week, San Benito tennis coach Ed Cecena spoke of his team’s surprising start to the season, and the surprising depth there was on the doubles teams.
On Tuesday, at the Ridgemark Golf and Country Club, the undefeated Lady ‘Balers battled the undefeated Salinas Cowboys, and it was the depth at doubles that pushed San Benito to a 4-3 win.
The Lady ‘Balers are now 6-0 in the Tri-County Athletic League, 10-0 overall, and occupy first place in the TCAL outright.
The last match on the courts at Ridgemark Tuesday were the No. 3 doubles of Bri Ahumada-Wolfsmith and Rachel Smith. Needing to break the 3-3 tie, the Lady ‘Balers came from behind against Jannie McDonald and Kylie Knoles-Barnett 5-7, 6-4 (10-6).
“Bri and Rachel were the last ones on the court,” Cecena said, “and they pulled through. They lost that first set, gathered themselves, won the second set, and won the super-tiebreaker, which clinched the match for us.”
The No. 3 doubles team wasn’t the only pairing that won. No. 2 doubles Crystal Perreira and Marisa Ibarra won their match against Zudra Bell and Shelby Weber 1-6, 7-6 (10-5), while No. 1 doubles Rachel Maheu and Elena Fata defeated Teagan Seeley and Kristin Shiwizn 6-2, 3-6 (10-7).
While the doubles swept, they also went to a tiebreaker in each match. Said Cecena, “They could have gone either way.”
“Elena and Rachel played an excellent match and they did it with athleticism,” the coach added. “They found a way to win that match.”
In singles, Salinas’ Taryn Andrews defeated Amanda Marshall 7-6, 0-6 (10-4), while Lady ‘Baler Yumi Chang remained undefeated on the year by defeating Christina Taylor 6-2, 6-4.
No. 3 singles Kaitlyn O’Keefe fell to Gabby Overholt 6-3, 6-1, and Salinas’ Lily O’Mary upended Abby Woods 6-3, 7-6.
The Lady ‘Balers will take on Notre Dame on Thursday at Ridgemark. San Benito has previously beaten Notre Dame this year 4-3 on Sept. 11.
“We barely scraped by them the first time,” Cecena said. “They’re going to be ready for us.”
