Live Oak plays Sobrato today in badminton
GILROY — The Live Oak badminton team added another footnote to a turnaround season last Wednesday, beating Gilroy 9-6 to complete a season sweep over the Mustangs.
The Acorns, who finished 2-14 a year ago, are 8-6 heading into their final week of West Valley Division play. They play Sobrato, their other archrival, at 3:30 p.m. today in the Sobrato Main Gym.
Live Oak will host the Blossom Valley Athletic League Finals tournament next week — and could have a league champion in the making.
Senior Johann Christ Abordo added another notch to his perfect season Wednesday at Gilroy High School, beating Gilroy’s Hien Nguyen 17-14 15-11 in the No. 1 boys singles match.
“Johann looks unstoppable heading into League Finals,” Live Oak coach Bharat Poria said in a statement.
The Acorns swept singles play in straight sets, getting wins from Alvin To, Owen Frederick, Emily Mandel, Ada Tan and top girls single Sara Ann Garber. Tan, who recently was moved up to singles play, has won three straight.
“She has been the surprise so far,” Poria said. “Ada’s fate seems to be sealed as a singles player.”
Gilroy (5-8) took six of the nine doubles matches.
Live Oak’s Jessica Liang and Kristen Pitsenbarger defeated Heather Nguyen and Ashley Nguyen in the top girls doubles match, 15-1, 15-6, and the Acorns’ Miguel Mahany and Jaehoon Kim narrowly won the No. 2 boys contest in three sets, 15-14, 8-15, 17-16. The latter match was “as close as you can get,” Poria said.
Also for Live Oak, Shahrooz Bastami and Alexandra Muniz were victorious in mixed doubles, winning 15-1, 15-5.
The Acorns will wrap up the regular season at home Friday against Branham.
