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Tennis Players Stay Competitive
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Taking to the road, Riverbank tennis players fell, 5-2, to an unbeaten Escalon team on Wednesday, and also lost to Hughson, 4-3, on the next day.

"Escalon is a stronger team than us. Some of the matches were close. But they dominated in boys singles - Grant Tower is All League, MVP what do you expect? - and in second girls singles," said Riverbank coach Bruce Edwards.

Tower defeated David Unruh 6-0, 6-4, in the first boys' singles, but Antonio Vigil won the second singles 6-2, 1-6, 6-4. In girls singles, Amber Nickels lost 6-1, 2-6, 2-6, and Leslie Thissen was also defeated 0-6, 0-6.

In doubles, Bruins Julian Hernandez and Kevin Keo won 7-5, 6-4; Gabby Zamora and Marlene Lizarraga lost, 2-6, 5-7; and Allison McHugh and Kyle Mitchell lost, 1-6, 3-6.

"Our best match was the boys doubles," said Edwards. "Our boys were down, 5-2, 3-0, and came back to win it. The second boys singles also went back and forth." The mixed doubles was a surprise to me. Escalon played better than I expected."

For the Hughson match on Thursday, Edwards changed his lineup, switching boys' singles to put Vigil in the first spot and Unruh in the second. Vigil lost, 1-6, 1-6, but Unruh came out ahead 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.

In the girls' singles, Nickels showed good control, winning easily at 6-2, 6-2, and taking charge in the first set. McHugh lost, 3-6, 6-4, 2-6.

"I put in Allison McHugh for number two girls' singles instead of Leslie Thissen, and Allison did well. I will be more prepared to mix them up in the future," said Edwards.

In doubles, the Bruins Hernandez and Keo won, 7-5, 6-0; Zamora and Lizarraga lost, 4-6, 2-6; and Colton Huggins and Thissen lost, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6.

This week, Riverbank was scheduled to play Patterson in a make-up match on Monday, Ripon on Tuesday, and Escalon again on Friday at home.

"Looks like we've playing half the season's games in one week," said Edwards. " We are 2-4 in league. I believe, and have lost three of those matches, 4-3."