Wednesday’s Channel League doubles tournament provided quite a contrast in weather from the previous two days of the singles tournament. Pleasant autumn warmth and light breezes abounded at San Marcos High as the tournament got under way.
Out of eight matches played in the first round, four seeded teams and one unseeded team finished efficiently, and three matches extended to three-setters, which tested each team’s endurance and perseverance. Dos Pueblos’ “Comeback Kids,” Nicoletta Bradley and Oriane Matthys, battled hard against the talented San Marcos team of Amy Kinsella and Shelby Zylstra, who eventually won, 6-0, 4-6, 6-2. The Chargers’ savvy seniors, Sofia Pasternack and Anna Slyutova lost in a close fight against the aggressive Royals team of Christine Pearson and Amy Ransohoff, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. The prize for the longest match, at well over two hours, went to Buena’s Brooke Jepsen and Victoria Pido and Ventura’s Kacy Anderson and Hayley Paul, who won, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. As usual, the fans were outstanding in their support of their players.
Players competing in the first round were:
Buena: Brooke Jepsen and Victoria Pido, Grace Littig and Jessica Lundstrom, Grace Kim and Ashley Lopez
Dos Pueblos: Amy Logan and Amy Sagraves (No. 2 seed), Nicoletta Bradley and Oriane Matthys, Sofia Pasternack and Anna Slyutova
San Marcos: Caitlin Mannix and Julian Mannix, Amy Kinsella and Shelby Zylstra, Christine Pearson and Amy Ransohoff, Annie Battles and Kiki Katsev
Santa Barbara: Ari Beckerman and Haley Hranicky-Galitzer (No. 1 seed), Hanna Grokenberger and Kinzie McKeown (No. 3 seed), April Ludwick and Zoe Miller (No. 4 seed)
Ventura: Kelsey Cole and Alyson Meyer, Shauna Keener and Amanda Smith, Kacy Anderson and Haley Paul
In the second round, seeded players quickly dispatched their opponents with finely tuned shots:
Ari Beckerman and Haley Hranicky-Galitzer (Santa Barbara) defeated Kacy Anderson and Haley Paul (Ventura) 6-0, 6-1
April Ludwick and Zoe Miller (Santa Barbara) defeated Amy Kinsella and Shelby Zlystra (San Marcos) 6-1, 6-1
Hanna Grokenberger and Kinzie McKeown (Santa Barbara) defeated Christine Pearson and Amy Ransohoff (San Marcos) 6-0, 6-1
Amy Logan and Amy Sagraves (Dos Pueblos) defeated Annie Battles and Kiki Katsev (San Marcos) 6-0, 6-2
The semifinals get under way at noon Thursday at Tennis Club of Santa Barbara, where Logan and Sagraves of Dos Pueblos will meet Grokenberger and McKeown of Santa Barbara, and Beckerman and Hranicky-Galitzer/Beckerman of Santa Barbara will meet Ludwick and Miller (Santa Barbara).
Liz Frech coaches girls’ tennis at Dos Pueblos High.