The Knights, who nearly knocked off unbeaten league leader Pinewood last Thursday, entered this final week of the Private School Athletic League schedule with a 4-4 record.

Although TKA narrowly lost 4-3 to Pinewood, "it was a personal victory for us as a team," coach Sharon Haugen praised. "I am extremely proud of the staying power the girls exhibited against this tough team."

Leading the way for the Knights were the three doubles teams, who all worked three sets. The Knights captured two of the doubles contests and nearly claimed the third.

Trying to get an edge, Haugen paired up singles players Sam Weng and Becky Burnside at No. 1 doubles, and moved the Knights' usual top tandem of Sheila Casey and Abby McCallum to No. 2. And the strategy worked.

After dropping the first set 2-6, Weng and Burnside rallied to win 6-3 and 6-4. Meanwhile, Casey and McCallum scored a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory. At No. 3 doubles, Knights Marissa Smith and Nicole Isaacson whipped their opponents 6-2 in the first set, before bowing 4-6 in the last two sets.

Breanna Grove won at No. 4 singles for the Knights, 7-5, 6-4.

Brittany Rudolph, Christie Chui and Anishka George, players who had won previous matches at No. 3 and No. 4 singles, were asked to step up to the top three singles spots against Pinewood. However, the Panthers prevailed in all three in straight sets.

Although the Knights do not have a lot of experience, Haugen calls her team "a uniquely high caliber group of girls. It has been so cool to work with them."

Other team members, who have been part of victorious doubles teams, are Hannah Palm, Grace Palm and Esther Ting.

TKA closes the season against teams they previously beat 6-1. If the Knights beat Valley Christian of Dublin on Oct. 25 and visiting Fremont Christian two days later, Haugen's squad will finish with a league record of 6-4. Individual qualifying for the Central Coast Section singles and doubles tournaments will take place on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

TKA runners ranked

The King's Academy's girls cross country team is No. 6 in the latest CIF-State rankings for Division V schools. The Knights, compared to other teams from schools with 0-500 students, were judged based on their early-season efforts, which included a fourth-place finish at the Stanford Invitational.

Senior Jessica Butelo placed 10th out of 81 runners in the Division V race, covering the 5,000-meter course in 20:47. Teammates Kristi Butelo, Priya Pappu and Emily Henderson also finished in the top 30.

Junior Sean Robinson, who finished 17th at Stanford, has been the leader of the TKA boys. He placed sixth on Oct. 18 in a 2.95-mile PSAL event at Crystal Springs in Belmont. Robinson (17:23) and 10th-place teammate Matt Giusti (17:52) led the Knights' to second place in the team competition.