Team Stories

Issue 1: Spring, 2001

The Foster City Tennis Club sponsors many teams and we have written many stories to share our team experiences with the club. For prior issues, please check out our archive.

• Shell MX70B Team Makes it to District Mixed Doubles Playoffs!!

Shell MX70B Team Makes it to District Mixed Doubles Playoffs!!

by June Higashi, Captain 7.0 Mixed Doubles Team

After finishing the local season in fourth place, the Shell 7.0 B team just made it into the local playoffs. Only the top 4 teams could participate in these playoffs. The playoff teams were as follows: 1st Shell A (captained by Naomi Bigliardi), 2nd Gateway, 3rd Orange Park, and 4th Shell B (captained by June Higashi).

In the first round match, Shell B met Shell A, at our local Bowditch courts in an all-Foster City event. It was by far the best weather of the season, warm with no wind, and both teams rearing to go. Shell A had defeated Shell B during the regular season, 2 to 1, so Shell B knew it was going to be tough. With both teams split at 1 to 1, it all came down to the number 1 doubles teams with Joe Silva and Mindy Sammons (B team) against Devinder Khroad and Cheryl Chang (A team) in a nail-biting third set! With both teams cheering for the last match, Joe was serving at 5 to 4 with all eyes on him. The pressure was on, but Joe and Mindy pulled it off with Joe serving a remarkable 3 aces in the last game!

The round two match was played at Orange Park in South San Francisco. Orange Park had defeated Shell B 2 to 1 during the local season also. Once again, Shell B knew they had another tough match ahead of them. However, all 3 doubles matches finished almost simultaneously, so it wasn't quite a cliffhanger like the 1st round match. Shell B won again 2 to 3!

The best part about the local playoffs were how gracious the Shell A and the Orange Park teams were. Both teams displayed great sportsmanship,hospitality, and wished the Shell B team luck in the subsequent playoff matches.

The Shell B team plays at the District Playoffs on May 19th and May 20th in Alameda. The schedule and directions to the playoffs can be found at the USTA Norcal website at: http://www.ustanorcal.com/leagues/mxdistrict01.htm.

Shell B is representing the San Francisco area and will play 3 other teams in a round-robin format. 2001 is the first year that the USTA is having district playoffs for mixed doubles. The first place team will advance to the Sectional Playoffs scheduled to be held in Pleasanton on June 2 and 3, 2001. This is the first time in recent memory that a FCTC 7.0 mixed doubles team has made it past the local playoffs. Last year the Shell 6.0 team captained by Davina Collins made it to the sectional playoffs where they came in second place.

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Updated 6/11/01