By ARTHUR HSIEH In the league ending tournament that determines who will represent the Olympic League at the prestigious CIF Individuals tournament on November 19, the Lady Minutemen made their mark once again, duplicating last year’s feat, when it was an all MHS championship final in both singles (Angela Hsieh and Malena Smith) and doubles […]
By ARTHUR HSIEH
In the league ending tournament that determines who will represent the Olympic League at the prestigious CIF Individuals tournament on November 19, the Lady Minutemen made their mark once again, duplicating last year’s feat, when it was an all MHS championship final in both singles (Angela Hsieh and Malena Smith) and doubles (Maddie Hernandez/ Michael Wilkins and Hellen Hong/Stella Wang). Today, Madison Kane and Malena Smith, as well as Michael Wilkins/Aria Haver-Hill and Georgia Wilder/Amanda Yee all qualified to play in tomorrow’s championship matches.
Kane and Smith, the top 2 seeds easily dominated their quarterfinals singles matches (8-0 and 8-1), while #3 seed, Stella Wang, fell to the #6 seed, 4-8. In doubles, Wilkins/Haver-Hill and Wilder/Yee were also the top 2 seeds, each also dominating their matches, 8-0 and 8-4. Rose Zhang/Shuhan Yang, the #8 seed, lost to the #3 seed, 0-8.
The semi-finals matches were more competitive, though in Kane’s case, the score line didn’t show it (6-0, 6-0). Smith defeated her #6 seeded opponent, 6-3, 6-1. Wilkins/Haver-Hill breezed through, 6-3, 6-1, against the #5 seed and finished their match before Wilder/Yee finished their first set against the #3 seed. Wilder/Yee were in a tightly contested set that see-sawed back and forth throughout the set and went to a tie-breaker. Wilder/Yee prevailed, 7-4, in the tie breaker, which gave them momentum and confidence entering the 2nd set. The set started out tight, with the score even at 1-1, but then Wilder/Yee began playing smarter, more strategic tennis, which propelled them to win the next 5 games and finish the set, 6-1.
Tomorrow’s championship matches begin at 2 p.m. at La Mirada Regional Park.
