Photo by Sandra Hsieh
Tennis:
The Lady Minutemen got off to a slow start in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 5 playoffs, falling behind 5-1 after the first round of play.
They had their chances to make it 3-3, but lost two key sets, 6-4.
In one of those sets, No. 2 Sarah Fong had a 4-3 lead when she broke her strings and was forced to play with a different racket.
She struggled to maintain her edge and lost 6-4.
Maranatha’s lone win came from No. 1 doubles Mia Huang/Mia Su, who overcame a set-long deficit to prevail, 6-4.
Whether it was the travel, the new environment, or both, the team wasn’t able to match the sharpness of their opening round play in the 1st round of the playoffs, when they hosted the Rowland Raiders.
Knowing that they dug themselves into a big hole, the Lady Minutemen played with more urgency, nearly winning the second round, 4-2.
Fong tried another racket that fit her game better and resumed playing solid tennis, winning 6-3.
No. 1 Grace Yang also responded with a 6-3 win, as did Huang/Su. No. 2 doubles, Kathryn Khalil/Diana Sarksyan held a narrow advantage throughout their set, before surrendering final three games and succumbing, 7-5.
That put the overall score at 8-4 instead of 7-5, forcing Maranatha to hope for a miraculous final round of play.
Feeling the sting of that loss, Khalil/Sarksyan rebounded to play their best tennis of the day, defeating the Grizzlies’ top team, 6-2, in the third round.
Yang and Huang/Su also continued their strong play, each also winning 6-2.
In the final analysis, once the Lady Minutemen acclimated to the environment and conditions, both squads played an even 6-6 match in the final two rounds of play.
That’s the nature of the playoffs and home court advantage.
Since Golden Valley was on the road in the first round of the playoffs and Maranatha was home, the Grizzlies were automatically given the home court advantage in this round.
Maranatha finishes the year at 14-3 with a season more successful than anticipated, both on and off the court.
It was a season to remember for the camaraderie, fellowship, love, and friendship forged that resulted in them outperforming expectations on the court.
The Lady Minutemen now say farewell to their beloved seniors – Mia Huang, Mia Su, Kathryn Khalil, Diana Sarksyan, and Madison White, who leave the program with something for next year’s team to build on.
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