Round 1 Showdown Set

Sophomore No. 1 player Jasmine Martinez and her singles mates led the charge to win 11-7 and set up a cross-town EYL  tennis showdown, Monday.

Martinez took both of her singles sets without breaking a sweat, winning 6-0, 6-0. No. 2 and 3 players, Maria West and Allie Mejia, also won both of their singles sets as well.

The Redskins won the bulk of their matches in doubles, as they stacked all of their top players there.

Monache’s win sets up a long-awaited match with Porterville, a team the Marauders unseated from the EYL’s top spot in 2007.

“There’s going to be some really good, enjoyable tennis Monday,” Monache coach Gary Perez said.

The match of the day will pit each team’s top singles player against one another (Martinez vs. Lane Johnson).

“I got to watch her a little bit at the Clovis Tournament,” Johnson said. “I’m just really excited and really wanting to win.”

Perez thinks Martinez could prevail because of her play as of late.

“I think Jasmine has the edge,” he said. “She’s just playing really solid right now. She’s just getting stronger and stronger (as a player.”

Panthers coach Kurt Nielson called Monache the favorite, but Perez sees more experience in the Panthers’ lineup.

“Kurt keeps saying that that,” Perez said. “I have a younger team than he does, but I think we both have a good shot. It will be some great tennis.”