PREP ROUNDUP : El Modena Wins Key Tennis Match in Century League

Art Green, El Modena girls’ tennis coach, had it all figured out before his team took the court Tuesday against Villa Park: El Modena would sweep the singles and win four sets in doubles.

Green wasn’t too far off: El Modena defeated Villa Park, 10-8, in a Century League match at El Modena High. But the results weren’t quite what Green envisioned. The Vanguards--6-3, 3-0 in league--didn’t sweep singles and instead won five doubles sets.

El Modena’s No. 1 doubles team of Deanna Grummer and Shelly Smith defeated Villa Park’s No. 2, Cari Ota and Karen Chau, 6-3, in the final set to give the Vanguards the match.

“We just basically knew Villa Park (5-4, 2-1) was going to be the toughest team in league,” said Green, whose team was second in the league to Foothill last season.

Through two rounds of play Tuesday, El Modena led Villa Park, 8-4, and then the Spartans played catch up, finally coming within a point at 9-8.

If the teams had tied, El Modena would have won on games, thanks mostly to sophomore Brandi Freudenberg. She hasn’t lost a set this season and swept all three Tuesday--including one against Villa Park No. 1 Ashley Thurston--by 6-0 scores.

“I just came out and played tough against Thurston because I knew she was a pretty good player,” Freudenberg said. “I was kind of under the weather today (a cold) so I wanted to get it over quick.”