Highlanders beat rival Bishop O’Dowd
The Piedmont High School girls tennis team split a pair of matches against tough opponents, falling in a nonleague match to Marin Academy and defeating West Alameda County Conference rival Bishop O’Dowd.
On September 23, the Highlanders fell to the visiting Wildcats, 5-2. The teams split the singles, with Piedmont’s Faith Chin winning the No. 2 match over Olivia Robertson, 6-1, 6-2, and Maddy Huynh beating Rani Haddad at No. 3, 6-2, 6-0.
Marin Academy’s Zoe Massey outlasted Ella Ruthven in an incredibly tight match at No. 1, 5-7, 7-5 10-6. Jennifer Lin defeated Leela Sivakumar at No. 4, 6-4, 6-1.
The Wildcats swept the doubles. Lily Weaver and Chloe George downed Emma Chan and Chiara Silvio at No. 1, 6-3, 6-2. Sky Wenner and Reese Goodenough beat Ella Thomasson and Mai Pham at No. 2, 7-5, 7-5. Alex Tombo and Agnes Robinson defeated Layla Reed-Miguel and Amalia Angulo at No. 3, 6-4, 7-5.
“Ruthven played a great match hitting all manner of groundstrokes – drives, loops, slices and got herself to three match points in the second set,” Highlanders coach Jim Landes said. “A lengthly rally ensued of at least 50 balls. Ella eventually lost in the third set breaker but it was a real thriller that didn’t finish until 8:30 p.m.!”
The next day, Piedmont beat the visiting Dragons, 4-3. The doubles teams secured the win, sweeping Bishop O’Dowd. Chan and Silvio defeated Fiona Wood and Sloane Kau at No. 1, 7-6 (3), 6-2. Thomasson and Pham beat Avani Shah and Vivienne Manning at No. 2, 6-3, 6-2. Reed-Miguel and Amelia Oldrin downed Devin Sanford and Gemma Pakzad at No. 3, 6-2, 6-1.
In singles, Chin was able to outlast Ayla Akcaoglu at No. 2, 5-7, 6-1, 10-1. Bishop O’Dowd’s Edith Kevane beat Ruthven at No. 1, 6-0, 6-2. Ellena Kau pulled out a win over Huynh at No. 3, 3-6, 6-1, 10-4. Maria Galofre defeated Sivakumar at No. 4, 6-1, 6-3.
“All of our doubles teams played really well and won in straight sets,” Landes said. “We were especially pleased to see Emma and Chiara play the way they are capable of.”
The Highlanders were scheduled to face College Prep at home on September 29 and Head-Royce at home the next day.