Marauders win final round-2 tuneup
Monache (7-2-2 EYL) can't win the league this year as rival Porterville has already clinched a second straight title, but they can at least break up the Panthers' perfect season.
Their final preparation for their round-two clash with the Panthers concluded with a workmanlike 12-6 win over Tulare Union.
The Redskins dropped their top two players, Brittany York and Jenna Niggli, into doubles to avoid Jasmine Martinez and that strategy worked — for the doubles teams.
Martinez clobbered both opponents, 6-0, 6-0 and remains undefeated in EYL play with just three matches left. Porterville structured its lineup to avoid her in round one and it's hard to imagine coach Kurt Nielsen doing anything differently in the regular-season finale, so Martinez will likely finish a perfect 26-0 in league singles play.
No. 2 player Kellie Agtarap won 6-2, 6-0 while No. 3 Noreen Baloch took her two matches with ease as well, 6-0, 6-2.
The York-Niggli tandem beat Carli Miller and Mercedes Alcantar 6-1 and Tiffany Camat-Allie Mejia 6-0, but couldn't stop Martinez and Agtarap in round three, losing 6-4 as the clouds opened up.
Monache travels across town to Porterville at 4 p.m., Wednesday.
