Carson girls tennis defeats South Tahoe

The Carson High girls tennis team had many heros to clinch third place in the Sierra League.

And the reward is the Senators will not have to play Galena in the first round of the zone playoffs. Carson defeated South Tahoe 13-9.5 on Thursday at Centennial Park in the showdown for third in the Sierra League.

Carson will travel to face the High Desert League's No. 2 seed in the first round of the playoffs and avoided having to play Galena in the first round. The win was significant since it figures Carson will be much more competitive with the High Desert League's No. 2 seed than it would have been against Galena.

"We don't have to play Galena," Carson coach Diane Baker said. "That's worth celebrating."

Carson received a key sweep from their three doubles teams in the first round to build a 5.5-2 lead. The Senators also received a key win from Michelle Van Epps in singles after the Vikings had closed to within 10-8.

Natalie Rogers in singles and Staci Cobler and Jenae Jeppson in doubles also pulled all of their weight as they swept their three matches.

Rogers will play in singles in the zone tournament while Cobler and Jeppson will play in doubles. Other options for Carson's other singles player in the zone event could be Kelsey Joyce or Van Epps.

Joyce could also team with Aaren Porteur to make up Carson's other doubles team in the zone tournament. Joyce and Porteur teamed to win two matches on Thursday. Baker said Joyce will play in the zone event either in singles or doubles.

In the first round against South Tahoe, Joyce and Porteur won 6-4, Cobler and Jeppson won 6-1 and Amber Whitworth and Katie Elverum won 6-4. But the Vikings came back in the second round to cut Carson's lead to 8-7.

"Man that middle round was scary," Baker said. "We pulled through."

After South Tahoe closed to within 9-8, Van Epps won 6-2. Cobler and Jeppson then clinched the team victory with a 6-4 win. Cobler and Jeppson also won 6-0. Joyce and Porteur also won 7-5 and Rogers won 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.

CARSON BOYS 14, SOUTH TAHOE 8.5

Josh Brekken continued to roll, winning all three of his matches 7-5, 6-1, 6-3 for the Carson High boys tennis team in its win. Also in singles, Dylan Stone won 6-3 and Andy Roullard won 6-1.

John McDonald and Andrew Araza swept in doubles as well, winning 6-1, 6-2, 6-2. John Whitworth and Brandon Waterman won 6-3, 6-2 and Ed Jaquette and Zach Caron won 6-1.