Also, LO girls golf wins two close matches
MORGAN HILL — The Acorns and Bulldogs are on pace for a showdown Tuesday at Live Oak High. The local teams occupy at least a share of second and third place in the Santa Teresa Division following a near-perfect week of road matches.
Live Oak scrapped for back-to-back 4-3 wins against Overfelt and Oak Grove, while Sobrato beat Yerba Buena 5-2 but dropped a rematch with first-place Independence by the same tally.
Winners of six straight, the Acorns (5-3 league) rallied by their No. 3 doubles pair Thursday at Oak Grove. Live Oak held a two-match lead through singles play and clinched it with Danielle Stevenson and Vanessa Torres’ close victory over Sophia Huynh and Thao Do, 7-6, 6-4.
In the top singles game, Marie Lewis won a close match with the Eagles’ Nikki Tubo, 6-3, 6-4. Live Oak’s Elena McElheny was just as clutch in the No. 3 spot, defeating Lilian Le 6-3, 6-2. Mika Matsumoto made quick work of Alaine Flandez, 6-0, 6-2, to push the Acorns ahead 3-1 going into doubles.
Lewis won a three-set marathon to help Live Oak survive Tuesday at Overfelt. The senior outlasted Jessica Celeste 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. Matsumoto and Jennifer Protsman rallied Lewis with straight-set wins against Roxanne Cabrera, 6-2, 6-2, and Karina Del Toro, 6-1, 6-0, respectively, but the Acorns needed another doubles team to rise up — this time, it was Amy Freitas and Melrose Ecura. Live Oak’s top pair eased by Maria Godinez and Yadira Manzano, 6-1, 6-1.
Against the only team that has beaten the Bulldogs this regular season, Sobrato mustered two wins Thursday at Independence High. Reigning Santa Teresa singles champion Alexa Watanabe bested Cindy Do 6-3, 7-5 in the top singles match, and the Bulldogs’ No. 3 pair of Amanda Alipaz and Nemerta Cherra downed Jessica Su and Stephanie Chau 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.
Sobrato fared much better Tuesday at Yerba Buena. Ali Pecsok, Allison Stoner, Emerald Nguyen and Watanabe won their matches in straight sets, as the Bulldogs swept singles play. Pecsok surrendered one game in beating Lisa Lu, Stoner defeated Yen Bui 6-2, 6-2, Nguyen was nearly flawless against Aliza Bunyi, 6-1, 6-1, and Watanbe defeated Jenny Huynh 6-2, 6-0.
The pair of Alyssa Warren and Allison Bettencourt also won for Sobrato, beating Helen Doa and Trinh Tran 6-3, 6-2.
GIRLS GOLF
LO wins pair of nail-biters
The Lady Acorns won a pair of close matches this week to move to 5-1 in Tri County Athletic League play.
Following a 214-224 triumph over Notre Dame on Tuesday at CordeValle, Live Oak edged Monta Vista Christian by one stroke Thursday behind stout efforts from Paige Flores and Jennifer Schwegler.
Flores and first-year player Jada Williams on Tuesday carded personal-best scores of 43 and 51, respectively. Kate Lowrey followed with a 55, and Rachel Chenoweth shot 65 for Live Oak, which plays its next two matches Monday and Wednesday at CordeValle against Watsonville and San Benito.
FIELD HOCKEY
Acorns still undefeated in league
Live Oak remained undefeated and tied for first place in the Santa Teresa Division this week.
The Lady Acorns (3-0-1 league) waged a scoreless tie with Cupertino on Wednesday, then beat Lynbrook 2-0 Friday at Live Oak High.
Sophomore Anisha Patel scored her first goal as a varsity player off a rebound shot by teammate Erin Leggette in the 12th minute. Ariana Guerrero netted her second goal of the season four minutes later.
The Acorns host Leigh at home today and travel to Monta Vista on Wednesday.
After winning their league openers against Prospect and Willow Glen, the Acorns (2-0-1) played to a 0-0 draw Wednesday against Cupertino.
Lady Bulldogs get win No. 1
Rachel Bakin tallied a goal and an assist, and Vicky Perry and Katelyn Goyette scored Friday as Sobrato earned its first victory of the season, 3-0, over visiting Berkeley.
Kate Van Keulen, Katie Merten and Brianna Sugimoto were also credited with assists for the Lady Bulldogs, who moved to 1-2 in West Valley Division play.
Sobrato stays at home Wednesday against University before traveling to San Jose on Friday.
