Youthful tennis team will seek wins from top doubles team in
Vanessa Casalegno and Chelsea Yoakum
HOLLISTER
Last season, as San Benito’s No. 2 doubles pairing, juniors Vanessa Casalegno and Chelsea Yoakum posted an undefeated record through Tri-County Athletic League play.
Whether that was a precursor to a stellar senior season remains to be seen, but it’s certainly a good jumping-off point for the pairing’s final year at San Benito, which has been fortunate to have its fair share of senior ability in recent years, as well as strong senior duos.
“The last couple of years we’ve had a lot of senior leadership,” San Benito head coach Ed Cecena said.
From Elena Fata and Rachel Maheu, who helped lead the Lady Balers to a share of the TCAL crown in 2007, to Amanda Marshall and Abbie Woods, who helped San Benito garner a runner-up standing in the TCAL last season, and even advanced to the Central Coast Section tournament as a doubles pair, San Benito has been anchored by a strong core of senior leaders for the last two years.
The Lady Balers even compiled a 9-3 record in the TCAL last season, 16-5 overall, finishing behind only Salinas in the year-end standings.
But while Casalegno and Yoakum will help fill this year’s void in varsity experience, providing leadership to an otherwise youthful Lady Balers squad, the duo represents just two of the team’s three seniors.
“We are kind of young (this season),” said Cecena, who is hoping his top doubles team leads by example.
“I look forward to having a lot of wins from those two.”
With last season’s perfect record carrying over into this year, Casalegno and Yoakum enter Friday’s season opener at Watsonville as San Benito’s No. 1 pairing.
“We lost a lot of our good seniors from last year, but we’re getting better every day,” Yoakum said.
Added Casalegno, “And we’re a lot better from the first day of tryouts.”
Aside from Casalegno and Yoakum holding down the top spot in doubles, and senior Rachel Smith positioned in the No. 2 singles role, San Benito boasts a varsity roster that currently includes four juniors, one sophomore and two freshmen.
“It’s gonna be a little bit harder,” said Cecena, who expects perennial powers Salinas and Notre Dame to occupy their usual positions near the top of the TCAL this season.
“It’s gonna be a challenge.”
The silver lining to having a youthful team, though, is allowing the underclassmen to grow into leadership roles, and perhaps progress faster than normal.
The top singles player this season for San Benito will be sophomore Hayley Barker, who represented the Lady Balers last year at the TCAL Tournament, and who has been practicing year-round to improve her game, Cecena said.
“She’s just gonna have to shoulder that responsibility,” Cecena said of the No. 1 spot, “but I’m sure she’ll have some wins.”
Now a second-year varsity player, Barker lost to senior Alexis Pressas of Notre Dame at last season’s year-end tournament, and is now occupying a position often reserved for upperclassmen.
“It’s a little nerve-racking, but I think I’ll be fine,” said Barker, who played at the No. 3 singles spot last year behind seniors Marshall and Woods. “I’m more comfortable with it now.”
After Barker is the senior Smith, followed by junior Kristina Slavich at the No. 3 position. Freshman Alex Triolo will round out the group at the No. 4 singles spot.
The competition ladder remains in use at doubles, though, where juniors Danielle Dube and Alex Garcia are currently battling junior Erin Glasspool and freshman Audrey Marshall for the No. 2 doubles position. Other players challenging for spots include Olivia Diaz and Helene Escamilla.
Said Cecena, “They’re gonna have to keep improving to keep their spots.”
