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Menlo School had its state-record 266-dual match league winning streak snapped Thursday when host Harker earned a super tiebreaker victory in doubles action for a 4-3 victory in a West Bay Athletic League girls’ tennis opener.
Harker seniors Fonda Hu and Sachi Bajaj clinched the match at No. 3 doubles after losing match point in a second-set tiebreaker, sending it into a super tiebreaker.
“Their spirited fight relied heavily on their years of Harker tennis team dedication to calm their nerves and stick to the game plan,” Eagles coach John Fruttero said of Fu and Bajaj. “After failing to convert a match point/second set tiebreaker, they ultimately secured the 10-3 final set win.”
It was the Knights first league dual match loss since 1993 (to Girls Private Schools League rival St. Ignatius), three years before Bill Shine took over both the girls and boys tennis programs at Menlo.
Bill Clinton was sworn in as the 42nd U.S. President, Janet Reno became the first female Attorney General of the United States and Pete Sampras and Steffi Graf earned Wimbledon titles that year.
For Shine, who suffered his first league loss as a coach, this day was inevitable. He never liked talking about the streak, nor did he put any pressure on his team. It was business as usual for him, emphasizing having fun together.
“We have come close to losing many times, thinking back,” Shine said. “I’m most proud of our consistency to excellence.”
Menlo’s streak has been on the line several times over the years, twice by Sacred Heart Prep in 2016. Both times it was decided by a doubles team, with the match tied at 3-3.
The Knights (1-1, 0-1) also hold the Central Coast Section record for consecutive victories, with 92 between 1997 and 2000. Menlo won six straight CCS team titles beginning in 1997.
Against the Eagles (3-0, 2-0), Menlo senior Addie Ahlstrom recovered from a first-set loss to beat Emily Novikov, 4-6, 6-4 (10-5), at No. 1 singles. Senior Lindsey Ball teamed with junior Brynn Brady to earn a 6-2, 6-2 victory at No. 1 doubles and junior C.C. Golub, with sophomore Natalie Westermann, won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 2 doubles.
Harker countered with singles wins from Sophie Hernandez, Natasha Rajaram and Rachel Hernandez, setting up the final confrontation in doubles play.
Tiebreakers were played out simultaneously by Novikov, Hernandez and the senior doubles team of Fonda Hu and Sachi Bajaj.
Defending CCS and NorCal champion Menlo looks to bounce back when it hosts Crystal Springs Uplands in a WBAL match at 4 p.m. on Friday.
Santa Clara Valley Athletic League
In the Ocean Division, Gunn extended its winning streak to seven matches with a 5-2 victory over host Milpitas, led by victories from the top two singles players Aoi Kunimoto and Mahima Agrawal.
Noor Parak won at No. 4 singles and the doubles teams of Ellie Yuan and Sarah Jung and Jordan Jeong and Michelle Lee for the Titans (8-1).
In the De Anza Division, Iris Li, Erin Li and Riya DeDatta each won their singles matches to help Palo Alto (6-2) beat host Saratoga, 5-2.
The top doubles team of Gwen Wong and Lauren Wong and the No. 3 doubles team of Noelle Burwell and Malika Bowers also posted victories for the Vikings.