Three freshmen playing for MVHS

By Pete Borello, Town Crier Staff Writer

Joe Hu/Town Crier Junior Marina Troian, above, and senior Anna Doty, below, are veterans on a Mountain View team that plays three freshmen.

Coach Frank Smyth has three good reasons to be optimistic about the future of his Mountain View High girls tennis team: Irina Belova, Nicole Chen and Kendra Chan.

They’re all freshmen, and they’re already contributing to the varsity team. Belova and Chen play No. 3 and No. 4 singles, respectively; Chan fills in at singles and doubles, where needed.

“We’re having a tough time now,” said Smyth, whose team entered this week with an 0-4 overall record, “but the good news is that the freshmen are getting good varsity experience. They’re dedicated players and should really help us one or two years down the road.”

All three are year-round players, Smyth noted, and share similar strengths and weaknesses.

“They are good on groundstrokes,” Mountain View’s seventh-year coach said, “but they need their serves to be more of a weapon - that’s the most glaring area that needs development.”

Marina Troian, the Spartans’ other year-round player, is at No. 1 singles. The junior “needs to improve more on consistency, but she hits the ball well,” Smyth said. “As the season goes on, I expect her to have some success.”

The coach anticipates No. 2 Natalee Pei to improve as well. The junior has a losing record - like all of Mountain View’s singles players - but went three sets against Cupertino last week.

The Spartans’ strength is in doubles, Smyth said, where there’s more experience. Seniors Anna Doty and Melinda McDonald, who in 2006 played No. 1 and No. 3 singles, respectively, have joined forces at No. 1 doubles. They also played doubles together as sophomores and “were pretty good that year,” Smyth said.

Another pair of seniors are at No. 2 doubles: Melanie Reichert and Sara Dinsmore. The coach is hopeful they will become a formidable duo before long.

Juniors Kimberly Jun and Yasha Saxena hold down the No. 3 position. Smyth said he is “particularly impressed with Jun - she has a lot of game in her and is very competitive.”

Chan has filled in admirably throughout the doubles ladder, according to the coach. The freshman teamed with Doty at No. 1 last week, earning Mountain View’s lone win in a 6-1 setback to Cupertino.

“She will be floating,” Smyth said. “She’s a singles player who figures in the mix at doubles.”

With the three freshmen back next season - along with the expected return of Katherine Kasprow, who played No. 2 singles as a freshman last year but chose cheerleading this year - the coach is confident the Spartans will soon be in position to win their first league title since 1997.

“Within two years, we will be challenging for the title in the El Camino Division,” Smyth said. “Maybe even next year.”

Mountain View hosts Santa Clara at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.