There is still a long road ahead for Manteca, but the Buffaloes made waves with their impressive opening week to the Valley Oak League season.
It ended Thursday at Manteca Regional Tennis Center, where they knocked off upstart Sierra, 6-3. Manteca is coming off two straight runner-up finishes behind Central Catholic after earning back-to-back league titles. The Buffaloes (2-0) started the 2016 campaign with a one-sided 8-1 win over the rebuilding defending champion, but Thursday’s contest was a true test of where they stand.
“This week was huge for us,” Manteca coach MaryAnn Tolbert said. “We started out with Central Catholic and we didn’t know what to expect coming in, and we knew Sierra was going to give us tough competition. We still have a lot of matches ahead of us.”
Sierra (1-1) has talent at the top of its singles ladder, but second-year coach Ed Melfort was concerned about Manteca’s depth.
“It could have easily went 5-4 our way,” Melfort said. “I feel like it was closer than the score.”
The key for Manteca was a 6-4, 6-4 win from sophomore Julia Tang, who edged out Sierra freshman Nadia Petrovic in the pivotal No. 3 singles match. The Buffaloes ended up taking four of the six singles contests, taking the pressure off their doubles teams. Manteca’s third doubles tandem of Monica Lozano and Drerna Singh held off Natalie Rootaert and Diana Duenas 6-4, 7-6 (6) in the final match of the day.
“Our win at No. 3 was huge for us,” Tolbert said. “It would have come down to that No. 3 doubles and we all would have been on pins and needles.
“(Tang) was very composed and worked very hard. She was a like a backboard; she kept returning everything.”
Sierra’s top two singles players Kaitlyn Rausa and Claire Banks took care of business, topping Taylor Corona 6-3, 6-2 and 6-1, 6-0, respectively.
The rest belonged to Manteca.
Stephania Mercado swept Katarina Malabanan 6-2, 6-1 at No. 4 singles. Gladis Sandoval defeated Carly Cunial 6-0, 6-1, and Makenna Condit rounded it out with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Sydney Huynh.
“Gladis had one of her best matches I’ve ever seen her play in her four years with us,” Tolbert said.
Manteca got another big point from its No. 1 doubles team of Rav Dhillon and Navina Mann, who downed Louisa Hunter and Alyssa Patterson, 6-1, 6-2.
“I can’t say enough about them,” Tolbert said. “They’re very consistent and they complement each other.
Krista Harris and Alejandra Pacheco tallied the final win for Sierra, winning the No. 2 doubles match 6-2, 6-1 against Julianne Eavenson and Noeli Mercado.
“I figured Manteca was going to be deep because I know most of the players,” Melfort said. “They play with heart and I like that about them. They play with grit and I’m hoping some of our girls can get that.”
