Defending Valley Oak League girls tennis champion Manteca is in midseason form before beginning its defense of the title.
The Buffaloes began their nonleague schedule this week with a pair of 8-1 wins, first at Tracy on Tuesday and then at Central Valley in Ceres on Thursday. They’ll be home today for their final pre-league tune-up against Modesto before welcoming rival Sierra next Tuesday to begin VOL play.
Against Tracy, Manteca picked up eight straight-set wins but was tested in some spots. At No. 6 singles, Yanki Ma held off Anika Kenshetti, 6-4, 7-5. The host Bulldogs picked up their lone point at No. 1 singles, as Tyler Ness defeated Julia Tang, 6-2, 7-5.
No. 3 Makenna Condit recorded the only clean sweep, blanking Azeezat Yussuff, 6-0, 6-0. Sahiba Kaur (6-2, 6-0), Navina Mann (6-2, 6-2), and Kerren Zou (6-3, 6-2) round out singles victories.
Nieli Mercado and Melissa Poncini prevailed 6-2, 6-4 in the No. 1 doubles match. Isabella Huerta and Danielle Diaz won 6-3, 6-1 and were followed by Amorina Tse and Kalissa Martin’s 6-3, 6-1 triumph.
Manteca’s doubles were challenged Thursday by the Hawks of Central Valley. Mercado and Ma teamed up at the No. 1 spot and were edged by Daniela Yepez and Virginia Moore, 6-7 (8), 4-6. Huerta and Diaz were 6-3, 6-2 victors, while Tse and Martin came back to beat Sabina Dhillon and Priscilla Sanders, 5-7(4), 7-5, 12-10.
Tang (6-0, 6-2), Kaur (6-0, 6-2), Condit (6-2, 6-1), Mann (6-0, 6-1), Zou (6-2, 6-4) and Poncini (6-4, 6-2) picked up points at singles.