Rachel Decker-Sadowski fell to the ground after three hours on the court, suffering from leg cramps and a painful broken toenail.
Across the net was Maria Zalameda, a formidable opponent with a higher ranking.
It was 6-2 in favor of Santa Barbara’s top singles player, as the Dons were embroiled in a battle with Division II’s top-ranked team, Beverly Hills.
Decker-Sadowski took the alloted five minutes to recover, got back on the court and hobbled her way to a narrow 7-5 victory in the tiebreaker.
Everyone rushed across the Beverly Hills campus to catch the end of the day’s final doubles match, where Haley Hranicky-Galitzer and Stephanie Thronton were finishing up a winning set that gave the Dons a stunning 10-8 win over the Normans.
Coach Steve Geremia said it was easily the most exciting win for the Dons’ girl team since he took the helm four years ago.
That’s because Decker-Sadowski’s 3-0 performance in singles stood along amongst an 0-6 day for the other Dons. Those six wins, in games, were won by Beverly Hills 36-2.
“We were major underdogs in this,” said Geremia. “Quite frankly, this is a team we can’t beat. But we’ve talked about maintaining intensity for three hours. They’re going to have to do it for the SATs… We talk about it, and I think we do it.”
April Ludwick and Zoe Miller played magnificently on the day, smothering the Normans’ top doubles team 6-2 and winning all three of their sets.
“They never really allowed them in the game,” said Geremia.
Kinzie McKeown and Hannah Grokenberger went 2-1.
SANTA BARBARA 10, BEVERLY HILLS 8
Singles—SB: Broida 0-1, Beckerman 0-2, Decker-Sadowski 3-0, Garrison 0-1, Langhorne 0-2. BH: Zalameda 2-1, Br. Morgan 2-1, Be. Morgan 2-1. Doubles— Grokenberger-McKeown 2-1, Ludwick-Miller 3-0, Thronton-Hranicky-Galitzer 2-1. BH: Argioen-Pisnoy 2-1, Riggins-Riggins 0-3, Werner-Monray 0-3. Record—SB 6-1.
