Trojans Mourn First Loss at Home Opener

The tennis team celebrated the opening of its new courts two days after a close loss to Arroyo

By: Vladimir Kogan

The win came just days after the Trojans were defeated by Arroyo High in what may be the closest match of the season.

"It doesn’t look like we’re doing too well at this point. And it’s really frustrating, because I just want to be out there and helping them," said Andrea Phillips, CV’s number-one player after her match, when the final score remained undecided. "Their team looks just about as good as ours, but it just seems today that maybe they’re more used to the heat then we are."

Keeping to her usual game, Phillips defeated Arroyo’s number-one seeded Lani Cardenas, limiting her to just one tally in the games-won category in two sets.

CV’s number-two ranked senior Sophia Hsiao was not that lucky, however. After winning the first five games, Hsiao lost her first set 5-7. She rebounded to take the second, but lost in the third set with a score of 1-6.

Arroyo remained dominant in the singles matches, defeating the Trojan’s third and fourth ranked players.

The Trojan’s closed the gap in the doubles matches, however, taking two out of three with one left to play. Even these wins were hard-fought.

"Every point was nerve-wracking," said senior Amy Tsang, CV’s top doubles player. After losing the first set in a tiebreaker, Tsang and her partner came back winning their match.

With the score tied at three apiece, the last doubles match remained to determine the outcome and the winner. Splitting the first two sets, the Trojans took the lead, winning the first three games in the third set.

Nevertheless, Arroyo was able to come back, eventually leading the set with five games to CV’s four. With the score a deuce, tied at three points each, and Arroyo serving, Castro Valley lost the game, and thereby the match.

For the players and the specters both, the suspense could not have been any greater.

"It’s always fun playing Castro Valley," said Arroyo’s coach Gary Thompson. "We’ve been competitive for years and it’s always a highlight." Two days later, CV left Hayward winless for the second time this year, cheered on by the band and choir who were there to celebrate the opening of the school’s new tennis facilities.

Despite the win, the Trojans were left licking their wounds from a loss that bumped them to second place in the division, one game back of undefeated Arroyo.

Photo 1: Coaches Gary Thompson for Arroyo and Floyd Barnes for CV introduce their players prior to the match.

Photo 2: Nani Cardenas, Arroyo’s top player, wins only one game in her number-one singles game.

Photo 3: HAAL champion Andrea Phillips serves in her latest victory against Arroyo.