Piedmont drops close matches
The Piedmont High School girls tennis team dropped a pair of close matches on back-to-back days. On September 24, the Highlanders fell on the road to West Alameda County Conference rival Alameda, 4-3. The teams split the singles matches with Piedmont’s Kate Jumper defeating Sophie Featherstone at No. 2, 6-3, 2-6, 10-5. Arianna Kortum beat Zoey Jalleh at No. 4, 7-5, 7-5. The Hornets Alice Chen downed Ella Ruthven at No. 1, 6-0, 6-0. Natalie Wong won the No. 3 match over Faith Chin, 6-4, 6-3.
The Highlanders No. 2 doubles team of Inara Mehta and Maddie Tran beat Nora Lloyd and Shilla Smith, 7-5, 6-2. Alameda’s Caroline Sue and Naomi Lin downed Emma Chan and Samantha Huynh at No. 1, 6-4, 6-4. The Hornets Morgan Takao and Natalie Gilbert outlasted Chiara Silvio and Lila Rosen at No. 3, 6-1, 2-6, 10-7.
The next day, Piedmont fell at Head-Royce by the same 4-3 score. Chan and Huynh took the No. 1 doubles match over Isabella Wang and Juno Yu, 7-5, 6-3. Mehta and Tran beat Alisha Mehta and Kamara Dewey at No. 2, 5-7, 6-4, 10-7. The Jayhawks Saira Bashambu and Summer Sarandah defeated Silvio and Rosen at No. 3, 6-3, 6-4.
In singles, Leela Sivakumar got the Highlanders only point by winning the No. 4 match over Natalie Jirn, 6-2, 6-3. Mia Huang beat Ruthven at No. 1, 6-3, 6-3. Isabela Salgado defeated Jumper at No. 2, 6-1, 6-1. Sofia Salgado downed Kortum at No. 3, 6-4, 6-2.
On September 17, Piedmont fell at home to Lick-Wilmerding-San Francisco, 6-1. Jumper scored the Highlanders point by winning the No. 2 singles match over Maahir Gupta, 6-3, 5-7, 11-9. Kira Iltchev defeated Ruthven at No. 1, 6-0, 6-2. Leena Kambara beat Chin at No. 3, 6-2, 6-3. Leila Rouda downed Kortum at No. 4, 6-3, 6-0.
In doubles, Leela Ganguly and Avrielle Thahar outlasted Chan and Huynh at No. 1, 6-3, 2-6, 10-3. Camryn Marlow and Lucia Coburn beat Mehta and Tran at No. 2, 1-6, 6-1, 10-4. Sofia Susal and Madelyn Hsieh defeated Silvio and Ella Thomasson at No. 3, 6-0, 5-7, 10-5.
On September 18, Piedmont swept visiting Castro Valley, 7-0. Ruthven downed Isabella Huskic at No. 1 singles, 6-2, 6-1. Jumper defeated Malia Robinson at No. 2, 6-3, 6-2. Chin handled Claire Lu at No. 3, 6-1, 6-1. Kortum beat Elly Ly at No. 4, 6-2, 6-0.
In doubles, Chan and Huynh defeated Kaylee Cheng and Abby Wong at No. 1, 6-4, 6-1. Mehta and Tran squeezed by Madison Lee and Clarissa Sun at No. 2, 7-6 (3), 6-4. Silvia and Rosen beat Sophia Lopez and Ava Zakai at No. 3, 6-1, 6-1.
Piedmont was next scheduled to host Marin Catholic on September 30. Berkeley will face the Highlanders in Piedmont on October 2.