Sonoma Valley’s girls tennis team finds their footing

Sonoma Valley’s tennis players put their serves, returns and volleys on the line as the girls tennis season continues into its second half with a match today, Oct. 3, against Justin-Siena in Napa (results too late for press time).

On Tuesday, Oct. 1, the team claimed its second straight win with a victory over Petaluma’s girls, 4-3, led by number 1 singles player Mary Gallo’s effortless 6-1, 6-1 win over Amelia Grevin. The number 3 single, Reese Dobson, defeated Petaluma’s Maddie Peachy, 6-3, 6-2, but the other SVHS singles players fell – Olivia Weisiger went down to her name-mate Olivia Peachy, 5-7, 6-2, (10-4), and Lily Raaka lost to Meg Rawson 6-3, 6-0.

In doubles play the only loss came in the exciting match between Sonoma’s top tennis duo Ella Castillo and Kayla Schmick against Abby Deen-Sophia Ryan of Petaluma, 6-3, 1-6, (11-9). From that point on it was a Dragon sweep: Jovana Saldana-Priya Clark defeated Daphne Perlich-Sofia Nadler 6-1, 6-3; and Sami Stubbs-Lily Morgan downed Elyanna Gonzalez-Penny Reynolds in another close match, 6-1, 7-6 (10-4).

Sonoma is now 2-3. Their other win came on back on Sept. 19, when the Sonoma Valley girls defeated Casa Grande, 4-3, sweeping the doubles competition and winning the number 2 singles as Olivia Weisiger came from behind to best Supama Kompali, 2-6, 7-6, (7-5).

At that meet, held at Sonoma Valley High, Casa’s Zoe Vestal defeated Mary Gallo 7-6 (7-3), 6-1; Perla Perez downed Reese Dobson 7-5, 6-3; and Ashika Balakumaran outpointed Sonoma’s Lily Raaka 6-3, 6-2.

But the doubles winners were all Dragons: It was Ella Castillo-Kayla Schmick over Maggie Beal-Valentina Virji 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5); Jovana Saldana-Priya Clark (SV) beating Hadley Mahoeny-Lily Moser 6-4, 6-1; and Sami Stubbs-Lily Morgan with a near-sweep over Kiana Velasquez-Natalia Maldonado 6-0, 6-1.

Said Mary Kate Dreyer, head coach of Sonoma’s girls tennis team, “We are getting better with every match, and I am proud of my girls’ progress.”

Local tennis fans have three chances to see the girls play next week. The heat-delayed meet against Napa from Sept. 24 will be played on Monday, Oct. 7, followed the next day by a match with American Canyon, and a third on Thursday, Oct. 10, against Vintage High – all at the Sonoma Valley High School tennis courts, at 3:30 p.m.