Duo ready to step up in doubles play

By Patrick Cochran/The Guardsman

The City College women’s tennis team squared off against Santa Rosa Junior College on Jan. 30 in a friendly preseason matchup.

To let the courts dry off from the previous night’s rain fall, the match started an hour late at 2 p.m.

The main event was the No. 1 seed doubles match, in which City College’s two best singles players, Elsie Woo and Savannah Hayes, played against Santa Rosa’s Kelli Kingsborough and Angel Tran.

City College lost the match 9-6. The match was close throughout, but Santa Rosa was able to pull ahead toward the end for the win.

“We hung in the match,” Woo said. “It was kind of an off day for us.”

Woo is more of a finesse player, while Hayes’ strong point is her serve.

“I have a powerful serve, but I need work on making it more accurate to get it over the net every time,” Hayes said. A junior at San Francisco State University, Hayes is able to play at City College because San Francisco State doesn’t have a women’s tennis team.

“We also could of done a better job covering the middle,” Hayes said.

Woo has played tennis since seventh grade.

“At doubles, me and my partner are really good,” Woo said. ” We always try to keep a point going.”

City College is coached by the energetic Kelly Hickey, who played tennis at the University of San Francisco.

“[Woo and Kings] play well together,” Hickey said. “I am really excited to have them as our No. 1 doubles [team] … this year.”

City College’s next match is against American River College on Feb. 14, 2 p.m.