Bulldog tennis team loses two league matches

By Bill Tamburrino

Ramona High School’s tennis team lost to Palomar League rivals Torrey Pines and Rancho Bernardo and also lost a match to Mother Nature as their scheduled match against Poway High School was canceled due to rain.

The Bulldog tennis team played host to Torrey Pines (7-2, 2-1) at Riviera Oaks and dropped a 16-2 Palomar League decision.

Ramona’s 2 team points were earned by number one singles player Dayna Lake and the number one doubles team of Savannah Goodson and Rachel Vaca.

Lake turned in scores of 2-6, 2-6 and beat Maryann Bukich 6-3. Taylor Romero went 0-6, 0-6 and 2-6, Kelly Gallagher went 0-6, 0-6 and 0-6.

Goodson and Rachel Vaca went 2-6, 2-6 and won a hard fought set by downing Sarah Kivikas and Taryn Harris 7-5. Hannah Kramer and Dallas Forbes turned in scores of 0-6, 2-6 and 2-6. Freshman Rebecca Vaca and sophomore Ellen Douglass went 0-6, 1-6 and 0-6.

When asked if it was tough playing such outstanding competition in the Palomar League, senior Hannah Kramer was not at all discouraged.

“It isn’t all about winning,” she said. “We have a great team. We are all very close, we are like a family. Work hard and do our best and support each other. Coach Failla is always very positive.”

Kramer never played tennis until just before her junior year.

“Our AP Euro (advanced placement European history) class had a party and I tried playing tennis,” she said. “John Shupe told me that I actually was not bad and that I should try playing tennis. So the month before school started, I decided to try out. I made the junior varsity and when Dayna (Lake) got hurt I was moved up to the varsity.”

So Kramer went from a pickup game in European history class to playing CIF champions. She is a 4.2 student who plans on attending Rice University or Boston College to pursue a career in medicine.

Neither of her parents, Ty and Betsy, play tennis, “but I have a couple of uncles who played in high school.” She does not plan on competing in tennis in college, but she plans on making playing tennis a lifetime endeavor.

The Lady Dawgs lost to Rancho Bernardo (8-4, 3-1) 15-3. Lake and Romero picked up sets in singles action. Lake went 0-6, 3-6 and 6-3. Romero went 1-6, 0-6 and 6-4. Gallagher turned in scores of 0-6, 0-6 and 2-6.

Goodson and Rachel Vaca picked up a team point in doubles action by going 4-6, 3-6 and 6-1. Kramer and Forbes improved steadily by posting scores of 0-6, 2-6 and 4-6. Rebecca Vaca and Ellen Douglas went 0-6, 1-6 and 2-6.