Prep Report: SHP Beats Gunn 4-3 in Competitive Tennis Match

By Rick Eymer/Palo Alto Online Sports
Gators Get a Season-Opening Nonleague Win
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Junior Nooryan Jafri usually anchors Sacred Heart Prep's strong group of doubles players. With senior Sara Choy, a blue chip prospect ranked No. 3 in NorCal U18 singles, out of the lineup, she moves into the fourth singles spot.

Jafri found herself the center of attention Wednesday when she and Gunn senior Catherine Novick were embroiled in a marathon two-set match, both going to tie-breakers. They were the last players standing and the match was all square.

"I definitely knew Gunn would be a tough match," Jafri said after recording a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4) victory that gave Sacred Heart Prep a season-opening 4-3 nonleague win over a talented Titans team. "I think we're a well-rounded team and it showed this match."

The Gators, who are scheduled to play at Mountain View at 3:45 p.m. Thursday, needed everything to click to pull out the win. It was only fair a predominantly doubles player got to decide the match in singles.

Gunn's top three singles players, all ranked among the top 54 in Northern California, Julie Pham, Anna Yu and Olivia Aspegren all won in straight sets.

Sacred Heart Prep swept the doubles matches, with Emily McGrath and Natalie Rotenberg winning at No. 1 doubles, Lindsey Marcus and Sarah McGrath winning at No. 2 and Sarah Quinlan and Emma Tung victorious at No. 3.

Pham, 14th in the U18 rankings, was pushed by Sacred Heart Prep's Melina Stavropoulos, ranked 48th, but took a 6-4, 6-3 victory that knotted things for Jafri and Novick.

Aspegren, ranked 54th in U16, had a little easier time of it at No. 3 singles, winning 6-1, 6-3, give Gunn its first point.

Titans' No. 2 player Emma Yu, ranked 38th in U18 and 23rd in U16, beat Isa Robinson 6-1, 6-0, although it was a more competitive match then the score indicated.

Jafri and Novick were in the middle of the second set when all eyes were turned their way. Neither player participates much in junior tennis but both could feel the urgency of the match.

There was an extended delay as some scoring issues were being worked out. Jafri stood on the baseline, bouncing a ball with her racket as coaches from both sides working through it.

"I hated it. It started getting to me after awhile," Jafri said of the delay. "There was a lot of thinking and anxiety hit me."

Jafri led 4-3 out of the waiting period and Novick worked the score to 6-6, forcing the tie-breaker of which she took a 4-2 edge.

"I finally had to let everything go," Jafri said. "I had to stop letting it get to me. And I didn't want to go into a third set tie-breaker."

Jafri took the next five points to earn the win. She was mobbed by her teammates as a reward.

"This was a great match," Gunn coach Jim Gorman said. "It all came down to the fourth singles. We had to use three JV kids for the match but we do have a good team. There are a couple of other ranked players in school who don't play (including one on another fall sports team)."

Gunn plays at Palo Alto at 4 p.m. Thursday.

Castilleja dropped a heart-breaking nonleague match to host San Mateo, 4-3, Wednesday as three matches went to a third-set tie-breaker, two of which went San Mateo's way.

Tobey Solomon and Lexi Bundy gave the Gators a win at No. 2 doubles, 6-2, 6-1 and Soline Bouddard and Eliza Golder won their tirbreaker 7-6 (0), 5-7, 10-6 at No. 3 doubles.

The top doubles team of Mabelle Pasmooij and Roxana Scott earned a 7-6 (1) victory in the first set but fell in the second set. In extended play, San Mateo took the tie-breaker, 13-11.

Sophia Nesamoney gave Castilleja a singles victory and No. 2 singles Kaitlin Rhee took San Mateo's Sarah Fung to the limit before dropping the tiebreaker.

The Gators play at Leland at 4 p.m. Thursday.
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Sacred Heart Schools Atherton

Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton

150 Valparaiso Ave
Atherton, CA 94027
650 322 1866
Founded by the Society of the Sacred Heart, SHS is a Catholic, independent, co-ed day school for students in preschool through grade 12