Girls tennis: Undefeated Plonowski claims MCAL singles crown

Gabriella Plonowski was tres mangifique on Thursday in the finals of the MCAL girls singles final.

After attending a tennis camp in France last summer, the Tam High senior returned for her final season of high school tennis to go unbeaten in league and then sweep through the MCAL tournament in straight sets.

“It completely changed my game,” said Plonowski. “When I started camp, I was just lobbing. Now I’m actually hitting the ball. Now I’m aggressive.”

Plonowski still has the lob and a deadly drop shot but mixed in just enough pace to keep Archie Williams’ Carly Amborn off balance for a 6-2, 6-2 victory at Novato High.

“That was such a good job of throwing her off,” said Tam coach Kelley Busby.

For the tournament, Plonowski only dropped seven games in her three matches. She says she surprised herself with her dominating win against Amborn especially since the MCAL champ has only been playing tennis for three years.

Prior to COVID, swimming was her sport as a member of the Strawberry Seals. On a whim when pools were shut down, Plonowski’s dad encouraged her to pick up tennis and arranged for lessons at Boyle Park in Mill Valley.

You could say she took to tennis like a fish out of water. Just last season Plonowski lost in the first round of the league tournament.

“Oh my god — I can’t believe this,” Plonowski said as she walked off the court. “I was not predicting this — not at all.”

On Thursday in the finals, Plonowski’s variety and unpredictability were tough to solve. For example, in the seventh game of the first set, she dished up two drop shots for a 40-15 lead and then unleashed a service winner to hold serve for a 5-2 lead.

The only blip of the day — if you could call it that — came in the fifth game of the second set. With Plonowski serving, the referee overruled her call on the baseline in favor of Amborn. Plonowski also netted a drop shot before Amborn chased down another short ball for a penetrating forehand winner to cut Plonowski’s lead to 3-2.

Plownoski settled down the rest of the set, blasting a second serve return to break Amborn for a 4-2 advantage.

Branson’s Anna Rende was awarded third place in singles after Redwood’s Jordan Marotto withdrew due to illness.

The MCAL doubles final matched two Redwood teams for the second consecutive year. The Giants’ unseeded team of Gwenn Ricordel and Lindsey Reed surprised top-seeded Annesley Krawitt and Ella Povio 6-0, 6-1. For most of the season, Krawitt and Povio played No. 1 doubles for Redwood while Ricordel and Reed were the No. 2 team.

“We are so lucky to have the depth we have,” said Redwood coach Marlies Zeisler. “It’s so good for us when it comes to NCS.”

Novato’s duo of Payton Grafeld and Emily Bandouveres won the third-place doubles match.

The NCS team tournament is scheduled to start next week weather permitting, and Redwood expects to host a first-round match as the MCAL team champ.

The NCS singles and doubles tournaments are scheduled for Nov. 14-15.