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Impressive Tennis Start
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The Bruin tennis team was 5-0 heading into this week's matches.

"That's an impressive record for the preseason," Riverbank coach Bruce Edwards commented. "But we haven't played any tough teams yet. The Trans Valley League is stronger than the Southern League teams we've been playing. I expect a lot of 4-3 or 3-4 matches this season."

The Bruins latest wins were 4-3 ,away against Delhi on Tuesday, and 5-2 over Modesto Christian at home on Thursday. The Argonaut match was cancelled twice by rain.

Against Delhi, Antonio Vigil won 6-0, 6-2, and Kevin Kao won 6-1, 6-1, in boys' singles.

Amber Nickels lost 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, and Leslie Thiessen won 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Nickels' match was fun to watch, fast-paced and fiercely competitive, said Edwards.

In doubles, the boys Cotton Higgins and Julian Hernandez lost 6-2, 7-5 and the girls Allyson McHugh and Gabby Zamora went down 6-1, 6-3. But Riverbank won the mixed doubles played by David Unruh and Martene Lizarraga 7-5, 6-0.

"That too was quite a battle," said Edwards. "They started with poor cooperation but got better as the game went on."

Both Keo and Lizarraga are freshmen and Edwards was impressed with their play.

In the match against Modesto Christian, Unruh lost 6-3, 6-2, and Keo won 6-1, 6-1, in boys' singles. Nickels won 7-5, 6-1, and Thiessen lost 6-4, 6-2 ,in girls' singles.

Riverbank was victorious in all the doubles matches. Hernandez and Kyle Mitchell won the boys' event 6-0, 6-1, Zamora and Lizarraga won the girls doubles 6-2, 6-3, and Vigil and McHugh triumphed 6-2, 6-1, in mixed doubles.

Among matches slated for this week, the Bruins were due to play on Monday at Gustine, on Wednesday, at home against Waterford and on Friday, at Ripon Christian in their first TVL game.