Tigers fall in Central Section Division II tennis finals at Lemoore to end season

Kaitlin Raulino dropped her singles match against Immanuel in the Division III finals Wednesday in Lemoore.

Photo by Bill Burris, Lemooresports.com

The match was a lot closer than the final score indicated as four of the nine matches were forced into third-set super tiebreakers. Immanuel came into the title game ranked sixth in Division II while Lemoore entered as the top seed.

The Tigers in 2016 got accustomed to winning, finishing with a 19-5 overall record and a 10-2 mark in the always difficult West Yosemite League.

Lemoore lost three of four super tie breakers and another second set tie breaker. “The score does not reflect the battle that ensued on the courts,” said Tiger Coach Carla Bow. “It is just what a championship (match) should look like.”

Symbolic of Lemoore’s play were the performances of Helen Cavero and Maddie Kuntz. Kuntz was the first Tiger to record a victory Wednesday afternoon, beating her rival 6-4, 7-5. Cavero also won her match, needing a super tiebreaker to do it 7-5, 3-6 (10-8).

"She (Kuntz) is the youngest player on the team." said Bow, "and was so consistent and handled herself and matches with such fierceness throughout the season. She stepped up wherever we needed her to.  She was our first win of the day and really carried the second doubles team throughout the playoffs."  

In other action Lemoore’s top player, Kaitlin Raulino lost her match 3-6, 2-6 while Serena Mendoza dropped one of the first tie breakers, a 3-6, 6-7 (11-13) decision. Cynthia Moreno dropped a 4-6, 4-6 decision before Kuntz halted the losing streak with her win.

Cavero and Kuntz put together an exciting match, winning their first match 6-0 before falling 1-6 in the second set. Unfortunately, they lost the 7-10 tiebreaker.

“I am so proud of the girls and the great season they had,” said Bow. “They made themselves, their families, Lemoore and me very proud.”