Jesuit's Carissa Gerung continued her outstanding senior tennis season by knocking off two previously unbeaten players to help lead the Crusaders to the title in a 12-team dual-meet tournament at Roseburg last weekend.
Gerung, who placed third in the 6A championships the last two years, posted a 6-1, 6-1 victory over La Salle Prep junior Kennedy Harris, the two-time reigning 5A champion. Gerung also handed Summit freshman Kate Bonetto her first loss of the season, winning 6-2, 6-4.
Gerung went 4-0 in the tournament to improve to 12-0 for the season. She also beat Sisters senior Juhree Kizziar 6-0, 6-1 and Sherwood junior Vicky Nguyen 6-0, 6-0.
Jesuit coach Kirsten Ruchaber said the tournament was a good test for Gerung.
“I enjoy when our girls can travel and see different looks,” Ruchaber said. “I think it's good for them. It made Carissa stay in the moment and stay focused. She got a lot of those matches in the Metro League that make her stay mentally focused.”
Gerung, who has signed with Cal Tech, is chasing after her first state title. She lost in the semifinals to Westview's Neena Feldman in 2022 and to Clackamas' Lauren Han last year.
“I think because she knows where she's going to school, the stress level has dropped for her,” Ruchaber said of Gerung. “It's a high-level academic school, and that's her focus. She gets to play tennis there, and she's very excited she gets to do both.”
Tennis Recruiting Network ranks Gerung as the No. 2 player in Oregon behind Han, a senior who has signed with Dartmouth. Ruchaber said Gerung has a strong mental game.
“She's a problem-solver when she's out there,” Ruchaber said. “From the second she's out there, she's trying to dissect what her opponent does well and doesn't do well.
“She definitely always has a plan, or is constantly changing her game plan as the match progresses. She's defintely a thinker. She's learned to constantly map out what's going on.”
In Metro League play, Gerung has defeated two 6A quarterfinalists from last year, handling Sunset sophomore Nikhitha Suresh 6-1, 6-2 and Mountainside senior Arushi Arora 6-1, 6-3. Gerung also has beaten Westview sophomore Malavika Rahul, a 6A doubles semifinalist, 6-2, 6-2 and 6-0, 6-2.
As the only senior for the reigning 6A champion Crusaders, Gerung has assumed more of a leadership role.
“I think she's having fun with that,” Ruchaber said.
Jesuit is undefeated in dual matches. At Roseburg, the Crusaders defeated Summit 7-1 and Sisters 7-1 in pool play Friday, then dropped La Salle Prep 7-1 in the semifinals and Sherwood 7-1 in the final.
Jesuit's No. 1 doubles team of juniors Kate Paine and Kitty Ayotte recorded four straight-set victories at Roseburg. Their closest match was 6-2, 6-4 over La Salle Prep's Eunice Li and Isabella Hanna-Barofsky.
Paine and Ayotte have only one loss this season, falling to Mountainside's Vasilisa Blinkova and Thara Rao 7-6, 6-4 in a Metro match April 8.
Paine and Ayotte have taken over as Jesuit's top doubles team after the graduation of Sofia Bell and Mishi Batinkova, the state champion team last season.
“They're really good friends, so their chemistry is good,” Ruchaber said of Paine and Ayotte. “They like to attack, and they've got strong serves. Their all-around game is solid.”
Sophomores Sabrina Larsen and Lucy Hasle, who made the second round in 6A doubles last year, have different roles this season. Larsen is undefeated at No. 2 singles and Hasle is unbeaten at No. 2 doubles with freshman Cea Brenneke.
Ruchaber, who has guided Jesuit to 10 of its state-record 16 team championships, likes her team's chances of defending its 6A title.
“I believe we'll be in contention,” she said.
