In what was just their third regular-season loss since last
year, the San Benito girls tennis team fell at Santa Cruz Monday,
5-2
SANTA CRUZ
The San Benito girls tennis team met their match for just the second time this season on Monday, as host Santa Cruz swept the singles matches en route to a 5-2 win over the Lady ‘Balers.
San Benito is now 9-2 overall this season.
Coach Ed Cecena said that Monday’s match at Santa Cruz would be the most difficult his team faced so far this season.
“And they were,” Cecena said. “If there is such a thing as a good loss, this (match) kind of knocked them back down to Earth and showed them that we are beatable.”
It was only the third regular season loss for San Benito since the beginning of last season.
In singles, the Lady ‘Balers were swept. At No. 1, Santa Cruz’ Amber Pipa beat Amanda Marshall 6-1, 6-1; No. 2 Keiko Kurita defeated Abbie Woods 6-1, 6-1; No. 3 Suzanna Wong upended Lady ‘Baler Hayley Barker 6-2, 6-0; and Chelsea Heil at No. 4 beat Bri Ahumada-Wolfsmith 6-3, 6-0.
“We’ll have to keep competing if we want beat good teams.” Cecena said.
In doubles, San Benito took a pair but it was not enough to edge Santa Cruz.
Lady ‘Balers Crystal Perreira and Marisa Ibarra beat Alice Mintz and Kelly Brokaw 6-4, 6-3, and No. 2 doubles Vanessa Casalegno and Chelsea Yoakum defeated Katherine Sorbo and Lucy Shook 5-7, 6-1 (10-8). At No. 3, Santa Cruz’ Pauline Sefpel and Lauren Lambert defeated Rachel Smith and Lauren Ademek 6-1, 6-3.
San Benito will return to league action this week. They’ll play at Everett Alvarez today, Tuesday, at 4 p.m., and return to the Ridgemark Golf and Country Club on Thursday to host Salinas at 4 p.m.
