KELSEYVILLE — When the season began a few weeks ago, a rebuilding Kelseyville High School tennis team didn”t even have a second doubles team. Coach Jeff McLaren”s squad simply didn”t have enough players.
“And when you play only five matches and have to forfeit one, that means you have to win three of the other four to win, and that”s tough,” McLaren said last month after his team”s opener.
McLaren won”t have to worry about forfeiting second doubles anymore. He”s found the players he didn”t have at season”s start. Ashley Taylor, a junior, and Justin Lombardo, a freshman, teamed up for a 6-4, 6-2 win over Cloverdale”s Adrian Gutierrez and Hannah Pope on Friday to help the Knights to a 4-1 Coastal Mountain Conference victory.
“They kept the ball in play, they kept hustling,” McLaren said. “I”m really proud of them. They really came through for us.”
Added McLaren, “He (Lombardo) came out of nowhere. He hits the ball well, he”s coachable and just a real nice kid.”
Kelseyville, now 2-3 on the season, also picked up wins in first singles, where Moses Kuzu beat Jesus Cardenas 6-0, 6-1; in second singles, where Nils Mostin defeated Jose Torres 6-4, 6-1; and in first doubles, where Max Lehman and Kyle Schmidt teamed up for a 6-0, 6-3 win over Ben Natividad and Alexis Hernandez.
Kelseyville has a bye on Tuesday before returning to action Friday at home against Clear Lake.
