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Clare Zhu, a junior at San Marin High, pushed her league record to 14-0 with her most recent thrashing in Tuesday’s first round of the playoffs, solidifying her position as the MCAL girls tennis player to beat.
and defeated fifth-seeded Marin Catholic 4-3 with the fourth-seeded Mustangs. At 3 p.m. on Wednesday, San Marin will play top-seeded Redwood in the MCAL semifinals.
“It’s a huge accomplishment that we defeated Marin Catholic three times this year,” Zhu added. “Today I felt good. I have faith in my ability to defeat Redwood, and I believe we can win a few more games as well.
San Marin coach Christy Sherley thinks Zhu must be the front-runner, even if the league MVP has not yet been determined.
In line one, she has won every match. For me, it goes without saying.tennis
Zhu will be the first San Marin girl to win MVP since Darla Hoang in 2014 if the MCAL coaches actually vote for her.
Zhu defeated Georgia Compagno 6-0, 6-0 against the Wildcats to complete the Mustangs’ team triumph. Zhu’s final two points were an unbeatable drop shot and a cross-court forehand winner, demonstrating the versatility of her game.
When the MCAL individual event starts on Monday, Zhu is anticipated to earn the top seed in the singles division. Zhu missed the MCAL tournament last year because of a wrist injury, but this year she is bursting with confidence, and it was evident against Marin Catholic.
Sports news, girls tennis looking to win 2nd state title Waccamaw in 3 years
Deepti Bhat of San Marin defeated Payton Greco 6-0, 6-1 in under forty-five minutes in the No. 2 singles match after attacking the ball repeatedly. Despite struggling with a knee issue all season, Bhat appears to have recovered in time to support the Mustangs during the playoffs.tennis
“Deepti and Clare are both difficult to deal with,” Marin Catholic coach Corey Cheng said. “We could have had more confidence today, but they came in with a little more.”
Emily McCoy, a freshman from San Marin, defeated Ellie Damiani 6-3, 6-3 in the No. 4 singles match, one of her most remarkable singles victories of the year. Expecting to lose to Zhu at No. 1 singles, McCoy’s win proved to be the Mustangs’ deciding factor.
Julieta Exberger and Divya Lourdu also won for the Mustangs at No. 2 doubles. Lourdu is a sophomore runner who has competed in the Dipsea, and Exberger is the sole senior in the Mustangs’ starting lineup. With their combined doubles experience, exceptional agility, and great fitness, they make a formidable combination.
Marin Catholic, which is vying for a second consecutive at-large spot in the North Coast Section Division II championship, defeated Christiane Zuber at No. 3 singles, No.
Heidi Koch and Estella Degraeve are the top-ranked doubles team, while Natalie Martin and Ruby Pisaturo are the third-ranked pair.
The Mustangs also want to guarantee an at-large spot in the NCS tournament, regardless of how they perform against Redwood in the MCAL semifinals. Last year, Zhu’s wrist injury prevented her from playing, therefore the team didn’t apply.
Sherley, who is in her second season as coach of San Marin, has stated that she will be leaving to devote herself full-time to her kids and adult tennis clinics.
Sherley remarked, “I’m proud that we made it this far; it feels really rewarding for us.” We have a strong sense of unity as a team.
