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May 21, 2009
Photo by Joel Capra - Junior Jonathan Eng prepares to serve during warm-ups before the boys tennis team’s match against James Logan on March 12. On April 28-29, Eng and the rest of the team competed in the MVAL playoffs. Eng lost to Mission’s junior Brandon Nguyen on the second day of playoffs en route to his elimination. Senior Sai Devana also lost to Nguyen on the second day to be eliminated
By Yama Hazheer
The boys tennis team ended their season at the Mission Valley Athletic League (MVAL) playoffs. Playoffs were held April 28-30 at Newark Memorial. Only two Washington players made it to the second day of playoffs on April 29.
These two players were senior Sai Devana, who is Washington’s singles number one player, and junior Jonathan Eng. Both players are also co-captains.
Devana and Eng separately faced the same player from Mission during the second day of playoffs, junior Brandon Nguyen. They both lost to Nguyen.
Eng lost 6-0, 6-1 and Devana’s final match score was 7-6, 7-5. In boys’ tennis, matches are best-of-three sets. The first player to win six games within a set wins that set. Whoever is first to win two sets wins the match.
The loss was a disappointment to Devana, especially because he was able to defeat Nguyen earlier this season. Devana had beaten Nguyen 6-0, 6-2 in another tournament. He had high hopes for the MVALs.
“I was disappointed because I was expected to get to the semis, and maybe even the finals; third place at worst,” Devana said.
After high school, Devana intends on playing with the University of California, Los Angeles non-traveling squad next year as a freshman. He hopes to make it one day on their traveling squad. Devana mentioned that he received a Division-III (NCAC) offer from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio and a Division-II offer from University of California, San Diego.
Eng was not as disappointed. He played an opponent from Logan on the first day and then Nguyen on the second day.
“It was fun beating Logan and losing to Mission on the second day,” Eng said. “Losing is a short term thing. Tennis is life-long.”
Eng wants the team to practice more over the summer to have a better season next year. Four varsity players will be graduating, leaving the team with more work to do.
Irvington and Mission represented the district during NCS playoffs. Irvington lost to Alameda in the first round. Mission, seeded at number three, defeated top-seed Monte Vista during the championships to win NCS. The final meet score was 4-3.
