Glendale tennis off to quarterfinals
It’s been quite some time since the Glendale High girls’ tennis team has played at home.
It’s been a great deal longer since the program has advanced to the CIF Southern Section quarterfinals.
Both will take place on Monday, as the second-seeded Nitros, on the strength of six singles wins, defeated host Foothill Technology, 11-7, on Friday in the second round of the Division IV playoffs.
For the first time this century, Glendale advanced to the quarterfinals, where after three straight postseason matches on the road, it will host Rosemead or Quartz Hill at 2 p.m. Monday.
“It’s a great big deal,” said Nitros first-year coach Tom Gossard, who formerly coached the Crescenta Valley High program to nine Pacific League titles and multiple lengthy playoff runs. “Our singles came up big for us.
“I’m proud of the girls. They’ve worked really hard.”
In an 11-7 wild-card win over Mark Keppel and a 17-1 throttling of Gladstone in the first round, Glendale (14-6) was a perfect 18-0 in doubles play. But on Friday, the Nitros won five sets in doubles with six victories coming in singles.
“This was a good team today,” said Gossard of Foothill Technology (13-4), the Tri-Valley League No. 2 team. “They were well-coached. They played us straight up. We were just a little bit better.”
Celine Khachiki starred for Glendale, turning in a 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 sweep, while Kristen Lee won a pair of singles sets, 7-6 (7-4), 6-0. In doubles, Emy and Mo-Mo Guzman won two, 6-0, 6-4.
Twitter: @TCNGrantGordon
