Dos Pueblos freshman Kate Stratman swept three sets in her CIF debut on Tuesday.
Every team needs a weapon and Dos Pueblos’ girls tennis team happens to have an automatic one.
Lauren Stratman, fresh off her third Channel League singles title in three years, fired off three set wins in a 12-6 CIF-opening victory over Foothill on Tuesday.
Stratman has yet to drop a set this year, and holds a career Channel League mark of 106-0. Her performance in Tuesday’s wild-card match was no less dominating, as the junior recorded victories of 6-0, 6-0, 6-0.
“It’s cool to be at the top. I just try to come out here and hopefully inspire (my teammates) a little bit,” Stratman said after the match.
Freshman Kate Stratman played some inspired tennis on Tuesday, sweeping all three of her sets in her first CIF match. The younger Stratman says she’s starting to play with more confidence as the season progresses.
“It’s mostly my swing and the way I place the ball now. My mental game has also changed too,” said the younger Stratman, who credited her dad’s coaching with helping. “If I don’t have my mental game, I’m not going anywhere.”
The Stratman sisters gave the Chargers the production they needed in singles as they gave DP a 6-0 record from the top two singles players. Both Stratmans defeated Foothill’s No. 1 singles player Melissa Huang, who had lost only two sets all season.
“I was kind of depending on her to win three and as soon as I saw their No. 1, I kind of knew that wasn’t going to happen” said Foothill head coach Josh Hermanson. “(Lauren Stratman) is amazing.
“I would say that Dos Pueblos is probably the best school we’ve played all year. If they were in our league they would take first pretty easily.”
Kate Stratman’s win over Huang in the second set was a turning point in the match, as it made the score 8-4 after two rounds instead of a much tighter 7-5.
Dos Pueblos also benefited from a 3-0 day from the doubles team of Christina Daniels and Sophia Rasmussen. The Chargers’ No. 2 doubles team won their sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-0. Rachel Amspoker combined with Katie O’Brien for two more doubles wins for Dos Pueblos.
The wild-card victory moves Dos Pueblos into Thursday’s first round, where they will meet Division II’s No. 5 team in San Marino.
Foothill ends its season with an even record of 9-9 while Dos Pueblos improves to 10-5.
DOS PUEBLOS 12, FOOTHILL 6
DP Singles – Lauren Stratman 3-0, Kate Stratman 3-0, Lea Tran-Le 0- 1, Nicoletta Bradley 0-1, Chloe Warriner 0-1. FH Singles – Melissa Huang 1-2, Megan Nguyen 1-2, Jackie Hudson 1-2.
DP Doubles – Rachel Amspoker/Katie O’Brien 2-1, Sophia Rasmussen/Christina Daniels 3-0, Mikaela Amble/Emma Rennick 1-1, Allie Frankel/Nicole Craviotto 0-1. FH Doubles – Leslie Kempers/Karina Farris 1-2, Addie DiraDoorian/Tu Anh Dam 0-3, Rebecca Moss/Courtney Nerland 2-1
