Menlo girls run league winning streak to 159

The last time the Menlo School girls’ tennis team lost a league match, most of its current players weren’t even born. The Knights lost the final regular-season match in the Girls Private School League in 1993 and haven’t lost since.

That streak continued on Tuesday as Menlo opened its 2009 West Bay Athletic League season with a 7-0 victory over host Sacred Heart Prep. The Knights are now 159-0 in league play since the start of the 1994 season.

“It’s pretty unbelievable,” said Menlo coach Bill Shine, who hadn’t arrived at school yet when the streak started.

After Menlo won league titles in 1994 and ’95, Shine took over the program in 1996. The Knights have won 15 consecutive league titles and are favored to make it 16 after beating perennial contender Sacred Heart Prep.

Menlo’s focus, of course, is on improving and preparing for the postseason. The streak is pretty much an afterthought.

“We haven’t talked about it,” Shine said. “I don’t think the freshmen even know about it. The older kids know.”

Menlo has five seniors this season and three of them contributed to Tuesday’s victory — Alex Heaney, Sydney Matteson and Anjali Ranadive. Heaney teamed with junior Eliza Adams for a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Kelsey Hemm and Isabelle Thompson at No. 1 doubles. Ranadive won at No. 3 singles over Kristen Rodgers, 6-1, 6-4, and Matteson wrapped up the shutout with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 triumph over Alex Marshall at No. 4 singles.

Matteson is helping continue the winning tradition in league play, following in the footsteps of her graduated sister, Courtney. Sydney said she has spoken with Courtney about the streak.

“She joked about it; how we won’t do as well as they did,” Sydney said. “All the seniors, including me, definitely want to keep it going.”

Menlo, which played a tough preseason, improved to 3-5 overall while Sacred Heart Prep dropped to 4-3.

Elsewhere in girls’ tennis, Palo Alto ended its shocking five-match losing streak on Tuesday with a 5-2 victory over host Los Gatos in SCVAL De Anza Division play. The Vikings (2-3, 6-7) were upset by visiting Milpitas, 4-3, on Monday in a nonleague match. Milpitas plays in the SCVAL El Camino Division and its shocking victory over the Vikings may have been its first win over Paly in over a decade.

Against Los Gatos, junior Janet Liu returned to the lineup after not playing against Milpitas. She won easily, 6-0, 6-0. Emma Marti, who lost at No. 1 singles against Milpitas, returned to her normal No. 2 position against the Wildcats and also won convincingly, 6-0, 6-1.

Paly coach Andy Harader dropped his No. 3 and 4 singles players, Mira Khanna and Sophie Biffar, into doubles and both players helped their respective tandems win. Biffar teamed with Gracie Dulik for a 6-7, 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 1 doubles.

In the PAL Bay Division, Menlo-Atherton won a showdown with visiting Burlingame on Tuesday, 5-2, in a battle of unbeaten teams. The Bears (6-0, 8-1) took over sole possession of first place as senior Marietta Tuionetoa led the way with a solid 6-2, 6-0 victory at No. 1 singles.

The Bears play host to Gunn on Wednesday before wrapping up the first half of league play against visiting Mills on Thursday, both at 3:30 p.m.