The Rams finished 2-1 on the weekend to earn 3rd place in the 4th Annual Santa Barbara Girls’ Tennis Invitational Tournament.
Cate lost to Monta Vista High School from Cupertino in the semifinals, before rallying for a 6-0 win over Rancho Bernardo of San Diego in the 3rd place match.
The win over Rancho Bernardo reverses a 2-4 loss from last year’s edition, where Cate went on to sweep up 5th place from the backdraw.
How it Happened:
Cate battled gamely against Bay Area powerhouse Monta Vista, who are already competing in their 3rd tournament of the young season.
In singles, while the Cate trio of Ivy Huang, Jade Wang, and Reyna Takahashi failed to pick up any sets, the sets that they played featured excellent rallies and competitive points.
Doubles was much closer, with tie-break sets played on all 3 courts. Lisa Hasebe and Chelsea Newlove took the top Monta Vista team to a tie-breaker in the first set, while Elsie Chamberlain and Elly Edwards were similarly competitive at the #2 spot, losing 3-6, 6-7. Cate picked up a nice win from “the Claires” (Claire Bianchi and Claire Tang) at #3 singles, who won 6-2, 6-7, 10-8.
Regrouping for the afternoon match, Jade Wang moved into the #1 singles position and took a 6-1, 6-1 victory over her Rancho Bernardo opponent. Reyna Takahashi added an impressive 6-1, 6-0 win at line #2.
Ivy Huang moved to doubles, pairing with Lisa Hasebe for a competitive 6-4, 7-5 win at the top line. Elsewhere, sophomores Newlove/Edwards and senior/junior combo Chamberlain/Tang won their matches more convincingly (6-1, 6-3 and 6-2, 6-3).
Coach Thorpe’s Comments:
This tournament was a critical step forward for us as a team with championship aspirations. The teams we played today have a lot of players of the variety we’re likely to face in CIF later this season, and the girls did not shy away from the competition.
The way we competed against top teams leveled up our competence and our confidence as a team and everyone seemed to really enjoy the experience.
What’s Next for Cate Girls’ Tennis?
Cate returns to action on Tuesday at Laguna Blanca, in what appears to be the first of two matches between the top teams in the Tri-Valley League this year.
Thorpe Tennis 