Publication Date: Wednesday Oct 15, 1997

PREP ROUNDUP: Tennis tests for Menlo girls

There's a very good reason why the Menlo School girls' tennis team should be considered one of the favorites to capture the Central Coast Section title this season: the Knights know how to get prepared for the postseason.

Off to a solid 9-1 start this season, the Knights hit a tough five-match stretch in nine days this week and next. This individual tests should be enough to get Menlo ready for its final exam at CCS.

Following a Girls Private School League match against visiting Notre Dame-Belmont on Thursday, Menlo will host a tough nonleague opponent in Saratoga on Monday, then face league nemesis St. Ignatius on Oct. 21, play at Sacred Heart Cathedral on the 23rd and then travel to R.L Stevenson in Pebble Beach on Oct. 24.

Despite Menlo's successful start, coach Bill Shine's talented and deep singles lineup is still not set due to a couple of injuries.

Junior Marilyn Mok, one of Menlo's top three singles players, will have an MRI on her shoulder to see if there is a tear. And No. 4 singles Michelle Leutzinger is still out with an injured wrist. Shine says Leutzinger should be back for the Saratoga match, but Mok's status is unknown.

Menlo had little trouble against Mercy-San Francisco last Thursday during a 7-0 sweep as the Knights dropped only one set in the easy win.

Sacred Heart Prep (3-2, 6-6) also won its GPSL match, beating Sacred Heart Cathedral in Atherton, 5-2. The Gators swept every singles match in the victory.

In Peninsula Athletic League (Bay Division) action, Menlo-Atherton fell to Mills, 6-1, to drop its record to 2-7 in the PAL.

Cross Country Menlo-Atherton junior Chloe Glare turned in an outstanding performance last Saturday by finishing third in the girls' race at the Crystal Springs Invitational in Belmont. Glare clocked 18:42 over the hilly 2.97-mile course, site of the annual CCS championships.

Boys Water polo Menlo School (3-0, 7-5) jumped out to a 7-0 halftime lead and cruised over rival Menlo-Atherton, 16-4, in a PAL showdown between undefeated teams last Thursday in Atherton.

The Knights' Jeff Ida led the rout with five goals. John Tsou, Matt Bjorner and David Arscott tossed in two goals apiece.

With the win, Menlo is in good shape to repeat as PAL champs. The Knights began the week with a half-game lead on Carlmont and a full game on M-A (2-1).

The Knights' defense was the catalyst in the M-A win as Zach Selmon, Jared Grauer and Ida turned Bear turnovers into goals.

"We did everything we were supposed to do," said Menlo coach Keith Wilbur after the M-A match. "We're playing well defensively, offensively and counter-attacking."

Girls volleyball Menlo-Atherton's season-long woes continued last Thursday with a three-set loss to Mills, 15-10, 15-5, 15-7. The young and thin Bears dropped to 2-8 on the year (0-6 in league).

Menlo School (1-3, 13-5) suffered its third GPSL loss in four matches with a three-set setback to St. Igantius last Thursday, 15-10, 15-10, 15-12.

Back up to the Table of Contents Page