Lathrop High’s girls tennis team put forth good efforts in several spots Thursday at Manteca Regional Tennis Center but came up short to second-place Sierra 7-2 in Valley Oak League action.
No. 3 singles player Melanie Nguyen helped Sierra (9-2) keep the Spartans at bay with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-0 victory over Kim Victoria. No. 4 Natlie Rootsaert also came up with a key point, outlasting Lathrop’s Darlene Hoang, 6-3, 7-6.
Kaitlyn Rausa kept her undefeated run in the VOL intact with a 6-0, 6-0 sweep of Angela Alegado at No. 1 singles. No. 2 Ellie Kim defeated Tala Alkhatib, 6-3, 6-2. Sierra was without normal No. 2 player Nadia Petrovic on Thursday.
Lathrop’s only wins came at 5 and 6 singles. Leslie Barraza topped Sierra’s Seerit Gill 6-2, 4-6, while Erica Garlit prevailed over Xochitl Torres, 6-4, 6-4.
The No. 1 doubles match was competitive at the start, with Timberwolves tandem Alyssa Patterson and Abigail Leyva holding off Marissa Briseno and Harmon Garcha, 7-6, 6-1. The No. 2 duo of Ariana Herreara and Belen Ramos won, 6-0, 6-1. Gedona Kelete and Mikayla Coburn coasted, 6-0, 6-0.
BOYS POLO
Ripon 14, Sonora 12
SONORA — Noah Esenwein accounted for 11 of the Indians’ goals, putting them on the inside track for the VOL championship with the big win against the defending titlists.
Ripon (4-0) led 4-3 after the opening quarter, 8-5 at halftime and fended off the Wildcats from there. Esenwein fired four goals in each of the first and fourth periods. He also totaled four steals and an assist.
Lucas Esenwein (three assists, four steals), Ty Wells (four assists) and Jaskehar Sekhon contributed one goal apiece. Goalie Matthew De La O tallied 10 saves.
GIRLS POLO
Sonora 6, Ripon 5
SONORA — The host Wildcats held on for the win after staking a 5-0 lead in the opening quarter.
Chloe Winter scored twice in the fourth quarter for Ripon. Molly Burton also had two goals, and Mallory Brubaker scored once. Amber Scheid chipped in a pair of assists, and Madyson Valencia had five saves at goal.
GIRLS GOLF
Ripon 161, Linden 189
RIPON — Kassidy Isham sank a hole-in-one on Jack Tone Golf Course’s fourth hole and carded a career best 9-over-41 to help Ripon (7-5) get a much-needed win heading Monday’s Valley Foothill League North Division Tournament.
Myra Toledo was low medalist with a 38, and Bianca Toledo finished a stroke away. Haley Meece contributed a 43.
Sierra 299,
Weston Ranch 326
The Timberwolves (4-10) capped the Valley Oak League dual season with one of their best scores.
Bryanna Gavino led all scorers with a 48, and Sierra teammate Balkirat Kaur finished as the runner-up with a 56. Supreet Sandhu spearheaded Weston Ranch (2-12) with a 59, good for third place.
