It is not too often you are forced to knock your teammates out
of a tournament.
But that is what happened during Wednesday’s tennis Tri-County
Athletic League opening rounds at North Salinas.
Both Baler No. 1 and No. 2 doubles teams won in the first round
and had to face each other in the quarterfinals.
It is not too often you are forced to knock your teammates out of a tournament.
But that is what happened during Wednesday’s tennis Tri-County Athletic League opening rounds at North Salinas.
Both Baler No. 1 and No. 2 doubles teams won in the first round and had to face each other in the quarterfinals.
The No. 1 team of Cathry Villarico and Jamie Huston defeated North Salinas 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, and the No. 2 team of Becky Bonner and Mary Beth Miller defeated Live Oak’s dual 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
“Becky really picked it up in the second set,” Cecena said. “She was hitting great forehands and was hitting balls down the line.”
The way the bracket was setup, the two teams had to face each other in the second round. Bonner and Miller, who were the Balers No.1 squad most of the year before losing a challenge match, won 6-1, 6-1.
Seniors Bonner and Miller will advance to the semifinals held today at Ridgemark. They will square off against the No. 2 seed in the tournament from North Salinas. The North Salinas team is actually made up of the team’s top singles players.
“If they play like they did today, they have an excellent shot of getting to the finals,” Cecena said. “The girls competed hard even though they are teammates. It is good to see that the experience came through.”
In the singles matches, senior Jill Merrigan, the Balers No. 1 single player, received a bye in her first round.
In the quarterfinals, she went up against the tournament’s No. 2 seed Mallarie Stevens of Live Oak and lost 2-6, 3-6.
“A lot of the points were close,” Cecena said. “Jill played one of her better matches this season. She played as well as she could play.”
No. 2 single Tiffany Davies played Katie Bohn from Notre Dame and lost 0-6, 0-6.
“She gave it a good effort against a tough opponent,” Cecena said.
