Anna Cardenas represented the Sierra High tennis team well at the Freedom Invitational in Oakley on Friday and Saturday, placing fifth in the 32-draw, double-elimination tournament.

She dispatched four opponents in 10-game pro sets before meeting eventual third-place finisher Erica Publico of Heritage (Brentwood). Publico prevailed 6-1, 6-2, but was given a better challenge than the final result indicates.

“Most games went to deuce, but unfortunately Anna didn’t get enough of those no-add points to go her way,” Sierra coach Vanessa Weeks said. “Anna’s performance and determination demonstrated why she is the No. 1 player this year. She battled hard in the 100-degree weather and developed a lot of confidence to start her senior year of competition.”

Cardenas opened with a 10-2 win over Lincoln’s Aisha Burse. She then defeated Carissa Carino of Jesse Bethel (Vallejo) 10-5, Lincoln No. 1 Victoria Chesley 10-2 and Freedom’s No. 2 Dana Weigland, 10-6.

Seven Timberwolves in all participated.

Their No. 3 player, Simran Thind, went 2-2 with victories over Nyla Metleuss (Antioch, 10-2) and Jamie Delgadillo (Antioch, 10-2). She dropped 10-3 sets to Camille McDaniel (Tracy) and Weigland.

Freshman Claire Banks had a tough first-round draw in Tracy High’s Melanie Markovic, one of the tournament’s finalists. Banks hung tough but was knocked into the consolation bracket. There, she picked up a 10-8 win over Concord’s Leyna Nguyen before losing 10-5 to Jesse Bethel’s Katrina David.

Normal singles players Megan Carbiener and Hannah Goe were matched up for doubles play. They lost their two matches, 10-5, 10-2.

Sierra’s top doubles tandem of Crystan Hernandez and Maria Vazquez knocked off Antioch’s top team 10-2 before coming up on the short ends of 10-6 and 10-4 matches.