SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The top-seeded St. Francis tennis team opened the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs with a 7-2 win over No. 8 Armijo at the Rio del Oro Racquet Club on Wednesday.
"We got off to a great start," said Head Coach Kristi Spector. "I was really anxious to get this match underway and in the books. It was our first time to play a playoff match (SF had a bye in the first round). The girls have been chomping at the bit to get started. They did really well."
The Troubadours will host No. 5 Oak Ridge on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 2 p.m. The other second round winners included No. 3 Davis and No. 2 Rocklin.
St. Francis took four of the six singles matches against Armijo. The Indians won at the top two singles positions. SF got straight set wins by No, 3 Adithi Benush, No. 4 Izzy Asker and No. 6 Safaa Umar. Sophomore Alex Evans overcame a loss in the opening set 6-4 to pull out a three-set win 6-2, 1-0 (10-6) at No. 5.
St. Francis, the top seed and defending champion, is guaranteed to play at home throughout the section playoffs until the finals.
"It is great to have it at home and play on our home courts," said Spector. "We do not have to take as much time off school and get here and be comfortable plus we get have the parents here to support."
The Troubies swept the three doubles matches. Juniors Bianca Ariza and Samantha Sonntag did not drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at the top spot. Senior Roya Pahlavan and junior Peyton Spellacy were 6-1, 6-3 winners over Ariel Brown and Kennedie Edejer.
"Overall, I think we did really well with slowing everything down and being really consistent," said Pahlavan.
St. Francis completed the doubles sweep with a win by Rosmy Alengaden and Maddie Brown at No. 3.
St. Francis will have representatives in the section singles and doubles tournament on Thursday at Johnson Ranch Racquet Club. Benush and Alisha Anwar will play in the singles tournament with Ariza/Sonntag in the doubles draw.
"They are very excited," said Spector. "It will not only test them but help prepare them for the next round of playoffs."
St. Francis 7, Armijo 2
Singles
No 1. Laura Wadsworth, A, def. Myra Anwar, SF, 6-0, 6-1
No. 2 Faustina Wan, A, def. Alisha Anwar, SF, 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 Adithi Benush, SF, def. Flora Wan, A, 6-1, 6-2
No. 4 Izzy Asker, SF, def. Alexis Ascher, A, 6-3, 6-2
No. 5 Alex Evans, SF, def. Ariana Mestas, A, 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-6)
No. 6 Safaa Umar, SF, def. Abigal Mattras, A, 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 Samantha Sonntag/Bianca Ariza, SF, Kayla Reynolds/Isabella Roxas, A, 6-0, 6-0
No. 2 Peyton Spellacy/Roya Pahlavan, SF, def. Ariel Brown/Kennedie Edejer, A, 6-1, 6-3
No. 3 Rosmy Alengaden/Maddie Brown, SF, def. Lucia Munoz, Kristen Knott, A, 6-0, 6-2
