Rams Crush Laguna Blanca 16-2, One Step Closer to Perfect League Season
October 10, 2024
Cate continues their impressive season, showcasing depth and resilience in a decisive win over Laguna Blanca at Hope Ranch.
Jade Wang ’28
Cate girls’ tennis notches another lopsided victory on the way to a second-consecutive undefeated Tri-Valley League season. Despite strong play from the Owls at #1 singles and doubles, the Rams left Hope Ranch with a 16-2 victory, moving to 11-1 on the season (7-0 in league play).
How it Happened
Senior Laguna player Caroline Kenny took Cate freshman #1 Ivy Huang to 5-7 in what was the only close match of the opening round. The two players traded impressive winners to 5-all before Huang pulled ahead to close out the set convincingly.
In the third round, fellow freshman Jade Wang had a similar battle with Kenny, grinding to 5-all before pulling away in the final to games for a 7-5 win. Cate sophomore Reyna Takahashi lost a similarly tight 5-7 set to Kenny in the second round, but showed encouraging glimpses of her top form as the playoffs loom. Cate won the remaining 6 sets of singles, sweeping lines #2-3, including a win for Claire Bianchi, who subbed in for Huang in the final round.
In doubles, sophomore Lisa Hasebe took Takahashi’s usual spot at #1 doubles, pairing with senior Colette Chang for a trio of 6-1 set-wins. Elsie Chamberlain and Chelsea Newlove continued their strong partnership during league play, also sweeping on the day. Claire Tang and Elly Edwards added two 6-0 victories at the #2 spot, before losing a close one to Laguna’s #1 doubles team.
Coach Thorpe’s Comments
I was really impressed by the way my singles players competed today. Caroline has really upped her game in the last year and so it was great to see Ivy and Jade battle to wins over her, despite being three years younger and much less experienced in high school play. I was also stoked to see Reyna competing so fiercely. Although she ended up losing, this was her best tennis of the season and evidence of her abilities, which we’ll need to rely on in post-season play.
What’s next for Cate Girls’ Tennis?
The Rams return to play next week against visiting Arroyo Grande, one of the stronger teams in CIF Central Section. The teams played earlier this season in the Santa Barbara Invitational, with Cate taking a 5-1 victory.