Gritty PAL teams go 3-0 in CCS girls’ tennis openers

Burlingame swept singles play, including the clincher at No. 4 singles from Samantha Tom. The sophomore battled through a back-and-forth opening set to win 7-5, 6-3 over Jiya Deo. Burlingame No. 1 Mila Mulready won 6-0, 6-2; No. 2 Shea Mulready won 6-1, 6-4; and No. 3 Evelyn Du won 6-2, 6-3.

“If you would ask me before the match: ‘You’re not going to win any doubles, what are your chances of winning?’ I would have said none,” Burlingame head coach Bill Smith said.

Tom played game for game in the opening set, but had a glimmer in her eye heading into the second. Battling through that first set to the sounds of the powerful strokes of the Mulready sisters, who were efficiently winning their matches, Tom decided to take the opposite tack.

“Her biggest strength is being steady,” Smith said. “She’s a shot maker. She can hit hard but she’s more crafty.”

Tom has switched between singles and doubles play this season, but is a textbook player for the back end of the singles lineup, one who has the ability to lob 50 volleys during a single point, then do it again and again.

“That’s exactly what wins at that level,” Smith said.

All according to plan, Smith said.

“She looked at us at the changeover after the first set and said: ‘I have a plan,’ and seemed really sure of it,” Smith said. “She proceeded to go out and play really steadfastly and even keel ... and closed it out with her serve at [5-3].”

M-A’s victory over Homestead was similar, but perhaps even more dramatic.

The top of M-A’s singles lineup was solid as ever, with No. 1 Tess Ellingson and No. 2 Eva Chow cruising in straight sets. No. 3 Meena Alvi was breezing along through her opening set as well, but ultimately battled to a super tiebreaker to earn a 6-1, 2-6 (10-7) victory.

The senior has played approximately half of M-A’s matches at No. 3 singles this season, according to head coach Tom Sorenson. Alvi features more of a power game than the typical No. 3 or 4 singles player. And she didn’t back off her strong forehand Monday.

“I thought she played extremely bravely,” Sorenson said. “I don’t think that she played with a bit of conservatism at all. I think she played as if she was going to have to win the match with good shots ... and she did.”

This is the first postseason in many years M-A has gone into a CCS tournament unseeded. The Bears entered the season as reigning eight-time PAL Bay Division champions, but had that streak snapped this season when Carlmont won the crown.

All three PAL teams advance to Tuesday’s second round, where each will face seeded opponents. Carlmont earned the toughest draw with a pairing at No. 2 Los Altos. M-A travels to face No. 6 St. Francis at Cuesta Park. Burlingame will be at the Olympic Club in San Francisco to take on No. 8 St. Ignatius.

Six county teams qualified for the CCS team tournament, and the five that were in action Monday all won. Crystal (13-6) claimed a 5-2 victory over Leland (7-7), advancing to face No. 7 Los Gatos on Tuesday at Saratoga High School. Sacred Heart Prep (16-6) won 5-2 at Mountain View (4-14), earning a second-round matchup at No. 5 Cupertino. No. 3 Menlo (17-6) earned a first-round bye, and hosts Stevenson (16-3) Tuesday.