Hollister High School’s Boys Tennis takes homecoming loss

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Note: Since this story was reported, Hollister High lost its second match of the season 4-3 to Oakwood School on April 22.

Hollister High School’s Boys tennis team suffered its first defeat this season in its April 21 homecoming match against Oakwood School. The team had a 7-0 record going into the competition, but only one of the singles players and the top two doubles teams scored victories. The Balers will face Oakwood’s Hawks again on April 22 in Morgan Hill.

The 4-3 loss was the opposite of what Hollister head coach Rick Espino predicted before the match began.

“We have four strong single players that could go either way most of the time,” he said, “but they’ve been winning. And all three of our doubles have been winning consistently. So right now we’re sitting pretty good.”

The loss to Oakwood follows an April 10 win against Alisal High School, which Espino said was their toughest meet so far. 

“We won in close matches, four to three in tiebreakers,” he said. “I really thought we might have lost it, but No. 3 doubles pulled it out in the tiebreaker.”

Albert Teliha and Miles Gamble played first doubles, scoring 6-0, 6-0 for one of the victories. Espino said the pair went into the match with a 7-0 record, and he expects them to win their two remaining games.

“They communicate very well with each other,” he said. “Miles is more controlled and hits the ball up high over the guy at the net. Albert is more aggressive at the net, and Miles backs him up so he can be aggressive.” 

Teliha, a 16-year-old junior, has been on the varsity team since taking up tennis as a freshman. He attributes his quick rise in the game to dedication, hard work and focused training. 

“The coaches showed me all the basic moves,” he said, “and I just improved myself. The first two years were bumpy, and then over the summer, I trained almost every day. And here I am today in doubles one.” 

He attributes the day’s win to the accuracy of his and Gamble’s serves which, he said, allowed them to dominate the court.

“We just have good chemistry and a good connection,” he said. “We’ve been friends since middle school, so we’re always there for each other. If I can’t get the ball, he can get it for me. If he can’t get the ball, I’ll get it for him. We just have each other’s backs.”

Gamble, an 18-year-old senior, said the first set was a little rocky, but things improved as they got more warmed up. He agreed with Espino that it was a much easier contest than the one against Alisal.

“They were strong at the net,” he said. “They had good footwork and speed. But they were also accurate, so we had to adapt. That’s when the lobbing came in, and new techniques.”

The second win of the day went to the number two doubles team, Marco Munn and Oian Traveria, with a 6-4, 6-1 score.

“Marco is a senior and Oian is a freshman,” Espino said. “They haven’t been playing doubles together the whole season, but when they have, they’ve been undefeated. Marco is such a versatile player and Oian always does well.”

First singles player R.J. Marin’s hard-fought defeat was one of the biggest surprises for Espino. 

“He was undefeated at 7-0,” Espino said. “He’s very aggressive. He’s got a good serve and good ground strokes. But he plays smart. He doesn’t just hit the ball.”

Marin said he may have underestimated the impact of the wind on his game. 

“I think I was rushing,” he said. “I put too much power into my shots and should have pulled back more—considered the wind more. But I hope I learned enough from today to know how to play my opponent tomorrow.”

Marin also took a moment to praise the Oakwood team’s play.

“They have an unorthodox style,” he said. “They are good at playing near the net and then dropping shots. I think they did well on getting those balls over.”

The third singles player, Baron Recht, won his match 6-4, 7-5. 

Despite the loss, Espino said the team is one of Hollister’s strongest in the last four years.

“Our kids are committed to playing well,” he said. “They have parental support that encourages them to do their best. The kids have great GPAs, so we don’t have to worry about that. It’s just satisfying to see how well they can serve, volley, and play tennis.” 

Espino remained stoic in defeat, focusing instead on the next day’s rematch.

“Sometimes you can’t pull it together, right?” he said. “Oakwood brought a strong team today, and they played well. We’ll see if we can win against them on their home court.”

Along with the upcoming rematch, the Balers have one more match, against Gonzales High School on April 23, before the start of the Pacific Coast Athletic League playoffs on April 24. 

BenitoLink thanks our underwriter, Hollister Rotary, for helping expand the sports coverage around San Benito County. Rotary is a nonprofit organization that conducts humanitarian projects, encourages high ethical standards, and works toward world understanding. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.

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