The racketeers of Riverbank High School won their first Trans Valley League match by 5-2, against Ripon Christian on Friday, March 11.
The Bruin tennis team's victory followed a close 4-3 loss to Gustine away on Monday and a 7-0 home win over Waterford on Wednesday. The Bruins record is 6-1.
In singles matches against Ripon Christian, David Unruh of Riverbank won, 6-2, 6-2. Antonio Vigil won, 6-0,7-6 (7-2); while Amber Nickels lost, 2-6, 2-6; and Leslie Thissen lost, 1-6, 0-6.
In the doubles, Colton Huggins and Julian Hernandez won, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2; Gabby Zamora and Marlene Lizarraga won, 6-4, 6-3; and Kyle Mitchell and Allyson McHugh won, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3.
Ripon Christian switched some players around, said Bruin coach Bruce Edwards.
"They did not play their number one singles in the number one spot," he said. "Amber was playing Stacy Viss who has more control. Stacy has played for four years and she places the ball and runs very well.
The boys' doubles went to three sets before Riverbank finally won. The girls doubles also were close. In the mixed doubles, RC paired a powerful senior with a freshman, and that match also was a tight one.
Even the loss to Gustine was a very even match, said Edwards.
In singles, Unruh lost, 2-6,2-6; Kevin Keo lost, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6; Nickels lost, 6-1, 5-7, 6-7, 4-7; and Thissen won, 6-3, 6-1.
The doubles matches saw Hernandez and Mitchell lose, 6-7, tie breaker at 5-7, then 6-7, tie breaker, 7-9; Zamora and Lizarraga win with 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 and Vigil and McHugh also win with 6-0, 6-1.
"This was a hard fought match,'' said Edwards. "They were long matches. They went past sunset and it got dark.
Nickels won her first match easily, then had to fight through close 7-5, 7-6, 7-4 matches. The boys' doubles went to two tiebreakers. Zamora and Lizarraga easily won their first game, but then had to fight through two 7-5 games.
The match against Waterford, by contrast, went to Riverbank in every match.
In singles, Keo won, 6-4, 6-1; Vigil, 6-4, 6-1; Thissen, 7-5, 6-1; and Nickels, 6-0, 6-0. In doubles, Hernandez and Paolo Leal won, 6-1, 6-4; Zamora and Lizarraga, 7-6, 6-3; and Mitchell and McHugh, 6-1, 6-4.
"Thissen was matched against Abby Wilson to whom she lost before. But this time Thissen won in two sets,' said Edwards.
For the boys' singles, Edwards switched Vigil and Keo, having Keo play the number one spot and Vigil the second place.
"Hernandez and Leal did fine in the boys doubles," he said. "Mitchell and McHugh are learning to cooperate, and forming a reliable mixed doubles pair."
The Bruin tennis team's victory followed a close 4-3 loss to Gustine away on Monday and a 7-0 home win over Waterford on Wednesday. The Bruins record is 6-1.
In singles matches against Ripon Christian, David Unruh of Riverbank won, 6-2, 6-2. Antonio Vigil won, 6-0,7-6 (7-2); while Amber Nickels lost, 2-6, 2-6; and Leslie Thissen lost, 1-6, 0-6.
In the doubles, Colton Huggins and Julian Hernandez won, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2; Gabby Zamora and Marlene Lizarraga won, 6-4, 6-3; and Kyle Mitchell and Allyson McHugh won, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3.
Ripon Christian switched some players around, said Bruin coach Bruce Edwards.
"They did not play their number one singles in the number one spot," he said. "Amber was playing Stacy Viss who has more control. Stacy has played for four years and she places the ball and runs very well.
The boys' doubles went to three sets before Riverbank finally won. The girls doubles also were close. In the mixed doubles, RC paired a powerful senior with a freshman, and that match also was a tight one.
Even the loss to Gustine was a very even match, said Edwards.
In singles, Unruh lost, 2-6,2-6; Kevin Keo lost, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6; Nickels lost, 6-1, 5-7, 6-7, 4-7; and Thissen won, 6-3, 6-1.
The doubles matches saw Hernandez and Mitchell lose, 6-7, tie breaker at 5-7, then 6-7, tie breaker, 7-9; Zamora and Lizarraga win with 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 and Vigil and McHugh also win with 6-0, 6-1.
"This was a hard fought match,'' said Edwards. "They were long matches. They went past sunset and it got dark.
Nickels won her first match easily, then had to fight through close 7-5, 7-6, 7-4 matches. The boys' doubles went to two tiebreakers. Zamora and Lizarraga easily won their first game, but then had to fight through two 7-5 games.
The match against Waterford, by contrast, went to Riverbank in every match.
In singles, Keo won, 6-4, 6-1; Vigil, 6-4, 6-1; Thissen, 7-5, 6-1; and Nickels, 6-0, 6-0. In doubles, Hernandez and Paolo Leal won, 6-1, 6-4; Zamora and Lizarraga, 7-6, 6-3; and Mitchell and McHugh, 6-1, 6-4.
"Thissen was matched against Abby Wilson to whom she lost before. But this time Thissen won in two sets,' said Edwards.
For the boys' singles, Edwards switched Vigil and Keo, having Keo play the number one spot and Vigil the second place.
"Hernandez and Leal did fine in the boys doubles," he said. "Mitchell and McHugh are learning to cooperate, and forming a reliable mixed doubles pair."
