RIGHT TO LEFT: Sobrato sisters Sara and Katie Martin helped lead the Lady Bulldogs to a hard-fought 4-3 victory over rival Live Oak on Thursday. The Martins lost in doubles, but Sobrato got a decisive win from newcomers Lisa Fisher and Allison Bettencourt to outlast the Acorns.
Live Oak's top pair of Charissa Hosseini, right, and Jennifer Protsman won 6-4, 6-1 Thursday.
The rivalry matchup between two well-oiled tennis squads had come down to this: a decisive doubles game played between some of the teams' most inexperienced members.
It was Lisa Fisher and Allison Bettencourt, of Sobrato, versus Melrose Ecura and Megan Shumate of Live Oak. The team score was 3-3, and a league victory - plus bragging rights - hung in the balance.
"All of the players from both teams gathered around to watch," Bulldogs coach Randy Barbaglia said. "They were cheering them on, trying to do anything to help."
Ecura and Shumate took the first set; Sobrato took the rest. Fisher and Bettencourt captured the second set and won a 10-point tie-breaker to prevail 2-6, 6-3, 10-7, giving the Bulldogs a 4-3 victory at sweltering Live Oak High School. Sobrato, which blanked Prospect 7-0 last week, improved to 2-0 in the Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa Division.
"It's funny that our two novices decided it," Barbaglia added. "It was extremely hot, and their play was affected. But they got some great experience in winning under pressure. It was a lot of fun for the whole team."
The match between Morgan Hill schools was a dead heat through singles play. Sobrato's top players Alexa Watanabe and Ali Pecsok beat Kalea Cleeton and Alyssa Gamboa 6-2, 6-2 and 6-3, 6-3, respectively, but the Acorns answered with wins by Marie Lewis (6-2, 6-2) and Elena McElheny (6-2, 6-2) over Danielle Thanh and Tina Ettmann.
"It was all around just a really good match," Live Oak coach Jennifer Yoder said. "The teams were pretty even, and I was impressed with the level of play.
"Elena played a beautiful game - absolutely great - and Marie played with a lot of confidence. Kalea played a wonderful match, too - one of the best I've seen from her. Watanabe just had a better game."
Charissa Hosseini and Jennifer Protsman put the Acorns ahead in the top doubles match with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over sisters Katie and Sara Martin. Sobrato's
Amy Morimoto and Alyssa Warren answered in the No. 2 match, beating Mika Matsumoto and Alexandra Mandel 6-2, 6-2 to knot the team score at 3-all.
"The match could have gone either way," Barbaglia said.
Live Oak fell to 1-1 in league, complete with Tuesday's 5-2 victory over Oak Grove. The Acorns travel to Yerba Buena on Tuesday, while the Bulldogs are at home against Oak Grove - both at 3:15 p.m. Sobrato hosts the next game with Live Oak on Sept. 30.
In a story unrelated to Thursday's game, Yoder announced Friday that she is stepping down as coach of Live Oak tennis, stating that she is unhappy with the direction the athletic program is heading. Yoder has coached the Lady Acorns for three full seasons.
"I still plan to be around this season to see the girls play," Yoder said. "I still support them and will miss coaching them."
Scott J. Adams Scott J. Adams covers Morgan Hill sports for South Valley Newspapers. Send him an email or call him at 779-4106.
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