GOLD RIVER, Calif. – St. Francis sophomore Maria McDougall, freshman Alexandra Wallace and senior Anna Dinh each scored singles wins as the fifth-seeded Troubadours fell to top-seeded Granite Bay, 6-3, in a Sac-Joaquin Section Division I girls' tennis semifinal at Gold River Sports Club Tuesday.
McDougall and Wallace each won their opening sets at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively, then dropped a tough second set before dominating one-game third sets for the tiebreaker. McDougall came back from a 5-4 deficit against Christi Tolson on the club's stadium court to take 7-6 win with a 7-4 tiebreaker. She fell 6-2 in the second, then stormed to a 10-2 victory in the third. Wallace had an even wilder victory, rolling past Sophia Han in the first set, 6-1. She fell by a 6-3 final in the second, then enjoyed a similar 10-2 win in the third.
Dinh was the only SF player to prevail in straight sets, dispatching Elena Kugley, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 4 singles. The Troubies' No. 3 doubles tandem of Ava Dezham and Nura Fananapazir also put up a tough fight, beating the Aubrey Mille/Melina Kim tandem by a 6-3 margin in the first, then falling by a 6-2 tally in the second. In the end, the GB pair came away with a tight 6-4 win in the rubber set.
The Troubadours finish their first season under head coach Matt Brunner with an 11-8 record. The loss to the Grizzlies marked a significant improvement over the two 8-1 losses during the Sierra Foothill League season. This also represents the second straight year that St. Francis reached the final four in the SJS.
CIF-SJS GIRLS' TENNIS DIV. I SEMIFINAL: OAK RIDGE 6, ST. FRANCIS 3
Gold River Sports Club (Gold River, Calif.)
SINGLES
1. Maria McDougall (SF) def. Christi Tolson (GB), 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 1-0 (2)
2. Alexandra Wallace (SF) def. Sophia Han (GB), 6-1, 3-6, 1-0 (2)
3. Michelle Han (GB) def. Tatum Walbeck (SF), 6-0, 6-2
4. Anna Dinh (SF) def. Elena Kugley (GB), 6-2, 6-3
5. Katie Smith (GB) def. Sophia Troppmann (SF), 6-2, 6-2
6. Rebecca Gehlmann (GB) def. Sarah Ramos-Lasso (SF), 6-3, 6-1
DOUBLES
1. Lila Bromfield/Ella Wang (GB) def. Litzy Alengaden/Ava Ensberg (SF), 6-1, 6-0
2. Molly Newlin/Kate Regnier (GB) def. Arden Garcia/Lena Mundhenk (SF), 6-2, 6-0
3. Aubrey Mille/Melina Kim (GB) def. Ava Dezham/Nura Fananapazir (SF), 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
