Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Field hockey team hopes for another 'odd' finish

By Dick Sparrer

There's something very odd about the girls' field hockey team at Los Gatos.

That's not to say that the Wildcats are unusual. It's just that when the odd years roll around, the Cats seem to be unstoppable.

And they're hoping the same is true in 1997.

The Cats won Central Coast Section championships in 1993 and 1995, and they're hoping their odd-year good fortunes return again in 1997.

"We can do it again in '97," predicted head coach Henry Reyes. "We have a very strong team with established fundamentals."

The Wildcats are defending division champions this fall, and they boast nine talented returners from that championship team.

Seniors Kathryn Breed, Erin Robinson, Liz Pegram and Jenny Hintz all return to the field after winning all-league honors a year ago.

Breed, the league's most valuable player last season, is back for her third varsity season after winning all-Central Coast Section second-team honors last fall.

Pegram, the county's top scorer in 1996, and Robinson both return for a third varsity campaign and will serve as co-captains for the Cats. Hintz is the squad's goalkeeper.

Juniors Juli Fomenko, Courtney Radonich and Imine Lin and seniors Jessica Moeller and Anita Bruna are other top varsity returners for Los Gatos.

Junior Sasha Cichowski and sophomores Cortney Kelly and Zoe Segnitz all won all-league honors on the junior varsity last season and will move up to the varsity this fall along with junior Alison Carabetta and freshman Anita Reyes.

The Wildcats posted a 15-2 season record last year and nailed a 9-1 mark in league play to win the division championship, their third in five years ('92, '93, '96).

"We hope to repeat," said Reyes. "But Lynbrook and Mitty will offer strong opposition."

The Cats are off to a solid start in the young season with two wins and a tie in three games this fall. Gatos opened with

an 8-0 win over University, then tied Prospect 1-1.

The Wildcats pushed their record to 2-0-1 last week with a 4-0 win over San Jose Academy. Robinson, Pegram, Kelly and Carabetta scored goals for the Cats. Breed and Robinson each had a pair of assists.

Cats net win

What a difference a day makes--or, in the case of the Los Gatos girls' tennis team, two days. Because two days after whipping Homestead 6-1, the Wildcats were blanked 7-0 by Saratoga in action in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

Gatos netters won three thrilling three-set matches on the road to the victory over the Mustangs, but the Wildcats lost all seven matches in straight sets to the division-leading Falcons.

Leah Thomas started Gatos on the road to victory against Homestead with a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles. And the Cats wrapped things up with straight set wins at No. 2 and 3 doubles. But in between, there were some thrilling matches.

Rebecca Kane pulled out a tight 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 win at No. 2 singles, and Nicki Cohn won a close 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 nod at No. 4 singles.

Tina Chang and Britney Brix teamed for a clutch 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 7-5 win at No. 1 doubles. Gatos backed up that win with a pair of straight set doubles victories.

In other local tennis action, Leigh lost a 4-3 decision to Overfelt to slip to 2-2 in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

Girls' water polo

Rachel Stratton poured in six goals, but the Los Gatos girls' water polo team lost a 15-7 nonleague decision to Presentation last week. Ashley Eastman also scored a goal for the Wildcats.

Cats win, 'Horns fall

The Los Gatos girls' volleyball team upped its season record to an impressive 9-2 with two wins last week in nonleague play.

Leigh, meanwhile, lost in its only try last week. The Longhorns dropped a 15-0, 7-15, 15-5, 15-9 decision to Presentation.

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