San Marcos freshman Yuka Perera claimed three sets for San Marcos. (Presidio Sports Photos)
A dramatic result without much drama took place on Thursday at the San Marcos tennis courts. The Royals cruised to a 15-3 Channel League victory over Santa Barbara High to snap the Dons’ 77-match winning streak in league play.
While the Dons return just one starter from last year’s CIF semifinal team, San Marcos has a handful of new players making a difference. Freshman Yuka Perera swept three singles sets for the Royals, who gained a formidable 5-1 advantage after the first set. Another freshman, Kelly Coulson, and sophomore exchange student Minu Traufetter, won two of three sets at No. 2 and No. 3 singles.
“To lose three sets against Santa Barbara, I couldn’t imagine that in a million years,” said Royals head coach Fred Hartzman.
Hartzman noted key wins by the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles teams in the first round as propelling the team to victory. San Marcos clinched the match after two rounds with a 10-2 lead.
The teams of Julia Frohling/Carley McDaniel and Josephine Pulver/Maura Mannix claimed those close 6-4 sets in the first round. Frohling and McDaniel continued on to sweep all three of their sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, while No. 1 doubles Renee Handley and Sarah Yang won theirs 6-1, 6-2, 6-3.
“I think we all just really played up to our potential and believed in ourselves,” Hartzman said.
Cade Sorensen won two sets for Santa Barbara
The Dons’ one returning starter from last year’s team is senior Cade Sorensen, who won two of three sets. Perera defeated Sorensen 6-3 in the match’s hardest-hitting set. Sorensen took a 2-1 lead with a break but Perera broke right back and won the key points in games that often went to deuce.
“Just keep it deep and high so she couldn’t really attack it because she can hit it really hard,” Perera said of her strategy.
Santa Barbara’s last loss in a Channel League match was to Dos Pueblos in the fall of 2005. Last time San Marcos beat Santa Barbara? Santa Barbara High and San Marcos shared the league title in 1998 when the Royals last claimed victory over the Dons.
With league competition starting so early in the season, many of the Dons are learning on the job.
“It’s good. They’re young. They’re new,” Becker said. “We’re going to work hard for when we play them again. I was really proud of them.”
Both teams return to Channel League action on Monday.
SAN MARCOS 15, SANTA BARBARA 3
SM Singles – Perera 3-0, Coulson 2-1, Traufetter 2-1. SB Singles – Sorensen 2-1, Fleischer 0-3, Echt 0-3.
SM Doubles – Handley/Yang 3-0, Frohling/McDaniel 3-0, Pulver/Mannix 1-1, Mannix/Bosse 1-0. SB Doubles – Kershner/Dalton 0-3, Stotts/Brewer 1-2, Morison/Berton 0-3.
