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St. Francis No. 1 singles Emily Tan. Photo taken on Nov. 9, 2021 by Rick Eymer. -
St. Francis freshman Jolie Wang. Photo taken on Nov. 9, 2021 by Rick Eymer. -
St. Francis sophomore Lauren Smith. Photo taken on Nov. 9, 2021 by Rick Eymer. -
Paly’s Iris Li. Photo taken on Nov. 9, 2021 by Rick Eymer. -
Palo Alto’s Erin Li. Photo taken on Nov. 9, 2021 by Rick Eymer.
Singles players Emily Tan, Jolie Wang and Lauren Smith helped West Catholic Athletic League champion St. Francis beat Palo Alto 7-0 in a second-round match of the Central Coast Section girls team tennis tournament Tuesday at Cuesta Park.
The trio will also be representing the Lancers in the CCS individual singles and doubles tournament that begins Monday at Bay Club Courtside in Los Gatos.
Wang and Smith decided to play doubles, though they had never played as partners until winning last week’s WCAL individual tournament and were strictly singles players during the regular season.
“My dad (Mike Smith, a WCAL doubles champion in 1993) when he played at St. Francis did the same thing,” said Smith, a sophomore. “We (Jolie Wang) know each other and kind of understand each other’s strengths.”
Wang and Smith are seeded fourth in the individual tournament and will meet Gunn’s Nimisha Sivaraman and Kailani Baker-Matsuoka in the first round.
“I enjoy being a teammate and being supportive,” said Wang, a freshman. “You just need to have the confidence in each other.”
For Palo Alto’s Erin Li and Iris Li (no relation), the top-seeded doubles team, it just seemed natural.
“I always wanted to play doubles with her,” Erin said. “I’m more relaxed with her.”
The pair, Paly’s top two singles players, did play together once this year before winning the SCVAL tournament.
“Tennis can be such an individual sport and I just find it more fun to have someone else to rely on,” Isis said. “We’re friends and I just think it would be fun.”
Li and Li meet a team from Stevenson in the first round. If the seeding holds up, they could meet Wang and Smith in the semifinals.
Against Palo Alto, Tan, Wang, Smith and Brooke Berensten all won their singles matches in straight sets.
The doubles teams of Pramati Barath and Emily Williams and Andrea Negulescu and Noelle Hary also won in straight sets.
The third doubles team of Sonya Bhagwan and Liv Chu won a 13-11 tiebreaker.
Menlo 6, Westmont 1
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Menlo’s Tricia Zhang. Photo taken on Nov. 9, 2021 by Pam McKenney/Menlo Athletics. -
Menlo’s Brynn Brady. Photo taken on Nov. 9, 2021 by Pam McKenney/Menlo Athletics. -
Menlo’s Natalie Westermann. Photo taken on Nov. 9, 2021 by Pam McKenney/Menlo Athletics. -
Menlo’s doubles team of Charlotte Yao and Sophia Labatt. Photo taken on Nov. 9, 2021 by Pam McKenney/Menlo Athletics.
Seniors Tricia Zhang and Brynn Brady recorded victories at No.1 and No. 3 singles and No. 2 seed Menlo beat Westmont to advance into the quarterfinals.
The Knights will play at home Thursday against No. 7 Mountain View at 2 pm. The Spartans (9-6) beat Gunn (15-7), 4-3.
Freshman Andra Braicu added a straight set win at No. 2 singles. Junior Charlotte Makoni lost at No.4 in a hard-fought tiebreaker.
In doubles, the No. 1 team of senior C.C. Golub and junior Natalie Westerman, and the No.2 team of Sofia Labatt and Charlotte Yao, each won 6-0, 6-0. Senior Alex Viret and freshman Izzy Klugman won handily at No. 3 doubles.
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