Singles sends Flintridge Prep tennis past Flintridge Sacred Heart
ARCADIA —If there’s one strength for the Flintridge Prep girls’ tennis team, it’s the consistency of its singles players.
Flintridge Prep provided an example during a nonleague match against Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy on Wednesday at Arcadia Tennis Center.
Flintridge Prep received sweeps from Crystal Juan and Libby Penn to register a 12-6 victory.
“I think we’ve been playing well as a team and we’ve been able to do well in singles,” said Juan, the reigning All-Area Girls’ Singles Player of the Year who didn’t lose a game Wednesday. “We’ve had some close matches along the way, so you see the potential.
“When I go out there, I just try to be aggressive and get the points.”
Flintridge Prep (2-4) saw Penn sweep, 7-6(7-3), 6-1, 6-0. The Rebels, who just missed qualifying for the playoffs last season, also received a pair of victories from Suzie Kim (6-4, 6-1).
“Our singles players have been playing very well,” second-year Rebels Coach Morisa Yang said. “Crystal and Libby have stepped up their games and they have faced some tough competition that will prepare them [for Prep League]. Then you have Suzie also getting better.
“We’re still trying to figure out our doubles lineup. They are still trying to figure out the strategies you need.”
Flintridge Prep got two wins apiece in doubles from Emilie Hu and Nikki Glover (6-3, 6-4) and Jayasri Krishnakumar and Tiana Lopez (6-3, 6-1).
Flintridge Sacred Heart(2-7), which earned a share of the Sunshine League championship last season after winning it outright in 2014, fared better in doubles. The Tologs, who have returned to the Mission League, got three wins in doubles from Margaux Blaine and Armida Villalobos (6-3, 6-1, 6-0) and one each from Sofia Bennett and Lauren Montgomery (6-3) and Grace Wang and Meghan Sullivan (6-2). Kate Hodges posted a 6-0 singles victory.
“Since we have so many new players, we are trying to work together and help each other out,” Hodges said. “We’ve had some rough patches and we are trying to figure things out.
“It’s just going to take more practice and feeling better about ourselves in the matches.”
