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Sports

GIRLS TENNIS: Milpitas Stays Perfect

Trojans singles players led way in SCVAL El Camino league opener on Tuesday at MHS.

The lone blemish on an otherwise spotless regular season singles win-loss record came against Los Gatos High a year ago for Milpitas High girls tennis player Christi Tain.

Katie Collins, the same opponent that defeated Tain last fall, stood across the court from the Trojans top singles player Tuesday afternoon.

Tain aced the early season test.

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Led by strong play from it’s top three singles players, the Milpitas High girls tennis team defeated Los Gatos High 6-1 in both teams Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division opener at Milpitas High.

The league win improved Milpitas’ early season record to 5-0 overall.

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Tain won her match, 6-2, 6-3, handling anything and everything that came her way on the sunny September afternoon.

“Today was a great day for the MHS girls tennis team,” head coach Dong Pham said after the match. “We came out against a very strong Los Gatos team and worked very hard. Everyone played well today.”

Tain was the second Trojans winner to fill out the score sheet in the league opener.

No. 3 singles player Kristen Buchanon was the first.

The freshman lefty made quick work off her opponent, winning her SCVAL debut, 6-1, 6-2.

“It felt really good,” Buchanon said after the match. “Winning my first league match as a freshman is a pretty big deal. I’m excited about the result.”

A sounding board for the entire match, whatever shot came her direction, the savvy Milpitas underclassman took care out it quickly and fired the ball back over the net.

“My strongest part of my game right now is probably my backhand,” Buchanon said.

Shuyang Ye also reeled in a singles draw win for the home club. The junior No. 2 singles player trailed twice in the first set before battling back to win 6-4. Ye’s steady groundstrokes and serve helped her win the match, 6-4, 6-2 over Los Gatos High opponent Courtney Hall.

“I’m just trying to improve each time I play,” Ye said. “To me, all the matches don’t depend on my opponent, it’s about how I play.  I think I’m taking baby steps.”

While the singles players went three for four in their respective bouts, the clincher came in the No. 1 doubles match featuring the Milpitas team of Ivy Nguyen and Sabrina Tran.

The upstart pair rallied for a second straight day to get themselves quickly out of a one-set hole.

Los Gatos won the first set 6-1, but the Trojans team turned the tides and won the next two sets in convincing fashion.

“Yesterday we did the same thing,” Nguyen said about the comeback win. “We just observed our opponents and tried to hit towards the weaker player. Right now our coach is working on volly’s with us. Both of us are willing to go to the net.”

The No. 2 doubles team of Cheryl Tain, younger sister of junior Christi, and Julia Dinh won a wild match in three sets, 2-6, 6-3 and 10-7.

Hamani Madnawat and Stephanie Hoang won the No. 3 doubles match, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.

Milpitas’ next league match comes this Friday against another strong foe and defending league champion, Mountain View High. 

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