Wildcats earn opening win

by Rhett Workman

Contributing Writer

The Mount Si Wildcat girls’ tennis team opened their 2006 schedule last Monday under cold and windy conditions at Mount Si High School and posted a win over the Kingco 4A Bothell team.

Mount Si won seven of nine matches against the Cougars to take the contest. Leading the singles victories was sophomore star Erika Strine, posting a straight sets 6-1, 6-1 victory over Bothell’s Kajori Ahmed. Strine is trying new things. “I was trying a new strategy of going in and serving and volleying more, and that proved to work,” Strine said.

The tennis team’s experience proved key. “Absolutely. And the thing is, I’m very happy. We’ve only been on the court for four days,” said Mount Si coach Sue Gallacher.

Strine plans on continuing her new style of play. “I’m going to try to do that, because I haven’t met a lot of serve and volley players, so I’m going to try and mix it up with all the baseline people. I’m going to try to come in more to the net and see how that works for me,” she said.

In other singles action, Alina Plavsky, Britta Safstrom, Kathryn McFarland and Kelsey Wise recorded victories, and in doubles, Strine teamed up with Plavsky for a 6-0, 6-0 rout of Ahmed and Caitlin Johnson of the Cougars. Rosie Locke and Amber McCrory paired up for the other Wildcat doubles victory.

JV girls defeat Bothell

The Mount Si JV girls’ tennis team defeated Kingco 4A Bothell last week 12-1.

Singles match winners were Dana Christenson, Sarah Swamy, Mariana Zanella, Brittany Whims and Linnea Olson.

Doubles match winners were the teams of Rachel Brun and Ayana Hara; Christenson and Swamy; Kendra Kinghorn and Tana Thompson; Nicole Stanton and Meagan Welcome; Lauren King and Heather Dalke; Rachel Ulrich and Amy Hamerly; and Tamara Haerth and Amanda Nelson.