GIRLS TENNIS: Milpitas Breezes By American High in Season Opener

Off a quick back hand return, Milpitas High junior girls tennis player Christi Tain charged hard towards the net, flipped the ball over softly and watched her shot slice just in front off her helpless opponent.

It was that type of day for Tain and the Milpitas High girls tennis team.

Everything was working for the Trojans, which spelled big trouble for visiting American High.

Milpitas won it’s season opener 7-0 over American, the first of three matches this week for the Trojans to kick off the 2011 fall season.

The result left head coach Dong Pham and his No. 1 singles player Tain in good spirits after the match.

“It was really fun,” Tain said. “I was really nervous at the start of the match, but once I saw my teammates out there with me I just calmed down. It was great to see everyone playing well.”

Tain defeated American High-Fremont No. 1 singles player Anjali Patel, 6-0, 6-0 to win the first of seven matches on the toasty Milpitas afternoon.

Tain used a little bit of everything to control the match from start to finish. Armed with a strong serve, accurate ground strokes and quick footwork, whatever shot Tain didn’t finish with power would eventually be tracked down by the speedy Trojans junior.

No. 2 singles player Shuyang Ye had similar success.

Ye, also a Milpitas junior, defeated her opponent, 6-1, 6-1.

“I’m always a little nervous before every match,” Ye said. “Because this was the first one, I was nervous for a lot longer than usual. It’s exciting that everyone was playing well. I just want to try and relax more when I’m playing.”

Three freshmen have injected fresh life into the program and quickly made their mark in their first match on Wednesday.  

Milpitas freshman singles players Kristen Buchanon (No. 3 singles), Manasi Aranake (No. 4 singles) both showcased their skills in straight sets wins.

Buchanon, a lefty, cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 victory, while Aranake used her endless motor to keep points alive and fend off her opponent, 6-2, 6-2.

The final impact freshman took part in the No. 1 doubles matchup between the Milpitas team off Ivy Nguyen and Sabrina Tran and the American High pair of Vivian Siu and Sanja Thaker.

Nguyen, a freshman and Tran, a Trojans sophomore and first year doubles player, won the doubles bout, 6-0, 6-1.

“Teamwork was big for us,’ Tran said. “Me and her are both very competitive. We didn’t want to lose a point. I really love Ivy. I can depend on her and we play well off each other. She likes to use her forehand and I prefer my backhand.”

Milpitas closed out the final two doubles matches to win the non-league affair, 7-0. Milpitas hits the road for a non-league contest versus Notre Dame-San Jose today and will play at Independence High-San Jose on Friday.

The Trojans open Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division play next Tuesday at home versus Los Gatos High.

“It’s a big test to play Los Gatos,” Coach Pham said. “They’re a tough school that finished second in league last year. Los Gatos always had good singles players so we have to play good tennis to beat them.”