Win sends the DHS girls into tennis NorCals

Coming off of playing three rugged Sac-Joaquin Section playoff matches in three days, the Davis High girls tennis team got exactly what it needed on Thursday — a day off.

Rain forced the Blue Devils to cancel practice, and the extra rest paid off on Friday when the Division I section runners-up defeated Sac-Joaquin D-II winner Bella Vista, 6-3, to earn a spot in this week’s CIF-USTA NorCal Team Championships.

Showing no ill effects from the loss to Granite Bay in Wednesday’s section title match that ended the busy three days of tennis, DHS went on the road and won five of six in singles, got another victory from its No. 3 doubles team — Jasmin Mould and Cat Archer — and beat the Broncos.

“They needed the day off (Thursday) to refill their tanks,” said Devil coach Sally Hosley. ”We are lucky to have so much strength up and down the ladder.

“Some matches we have more wins at the top, and other times our successes are at the bottom. They know when they need to step it up, and (Friday) they did.”

This win started at the top, as longtime No. 1 singles player Inés Guinard helped keep her senior season going by quickly stopping Rachel Putty, 6-0, 6-1.

The Broncos tied things up with a win at No. 2 singles, but then the good news started pouring in for Davis. Blue Devil No. 3 Kailynn Yang (6-4, 6-1) and No. 4 Ceci Cajandig (6-4, 6-0) both came off the court with wins, then the attention turned to DHS’ freshman phenom …

At No. 6, ninth-grader Jenna Mould completed a hard-fought 7-5, 6-4 triumph and, with doubles matches starting and Bella Vista looking strong there, Angela Donahue made them academic. The freshman’s 7-5 win in the third set of her No. 5 singles match clinched the Devil victory.

After splitting the first two sets, 6-4, 4-6, with Bronco Katherine Anderson, Donahue fended off three match points and came back from a 5-4 deficit in the final set.

“I was so darn proud of both my freshmen, Angela and Jenna,” Hosley said. “They have evolved into confident and mentally tough tennis players. They still get nervous and apprehensive during tight matches, but they have learned how to trust themselves and how to redirect and play their games.

“They are only going to be stronger and more lethal next year.”

In doubles, locals Kelly Chuck and Bailey Gary played what Hosley called “an epic two and a half hour match,” though they lost in a tiebreaker just before dark. Jasmin Mould and Archer won their No. 3 doubles match, 6-3, 6-4.

DHS earned the chance to compete in NorCals, which begin on Friday at 11:30 a.m. at the Natomas Racquet Club.