By Gerardo Bolong
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
NPSL 4A Mt. Rainier used a variety of tactics to take a 4-1 girls team tennis win at SPSL 2A Highline on Fri., March 15.
MR math teacher Cameron Robertson directed the Ram girls while longtime Ram mentor Tim Lee continues to recover from hip surgery.
”It’s another way to interact with students,” he observed. “I’m impressed by seeing the growth in the past two weeks of players who have never played before. They have positive attitudes.”
With a pair of key performers out due to injury, the Pirates moved players to new spots as adjustments.
Sammie Box got HHS rolling to a 6-1, 6-2, No. 2 singles win against Angelina Dang in the first completed match.
”I got my first serve in, and focused on where to hit the ball better to spread her out over the court,” she said.
The Rams quickly equalized the proceedings when Ashley Vo and Mai Hung controlled No. 2 doubles, 6-2, 6-2, against the Highline pairing of Karine Aguilar and Yonnhi Nguyen.
”Communication and knowing their weak spots helped us,” said Hung.
Vo agreed with additional thoughts.
”We kept changing strategy to make them guess what we would do and used lobs,” she added.
While her injured state doubles partner Chloe Watson watched with right arm in a sling, Pirate Stella Fosberg was completely out stroked by Sofia Antich, 6-0, in the first set of No. 1 singles before making a huge comeback to force the second set to 6-5 before Antich grabbed a hard earned victory at 7-5.
”I tried to move her around the court,” said Antich. “In the second set she was more consistent and got to more balls”
In No. 1 doubles, Linda Phan and Maritza Le overcame first set deficits of 3-0 and 4-1 before clinching the MR overall team match with victory No. 3, 7-5, 6-2, over enthusiastic Chhy Chhy Yeak and Chelsea Vorng.
It took two sets and a super tie-breaker for Ram ninth graders Peyton Gendrezu and Kellen Nelson to overtake Haley Riggs and Penelope Pham, 3-6, 6-4, 10-8.
The Mt. Rainier tandem are in their first year of competitive tennis.
“They were good, non league matches,” concluded HHS head coach Scott Babcock. “Better to prepare for league.”
