SPORTS
Saturday, July 2, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 3B
Tennis
Serena survives at Wimbledon, racket doesn’t
Djokovic down
in suspended
match
By HOWARD FENDRICH
Associated Press
LONDON — Dismayed
at dropping the irst set after
being a single point from
taking it, Serena Williams
sat in her Centre Court side-
line chair and cracked her
racket against the turf once,
twice, three times, four.
Then she casually lung
the racket, hurling it so far
behind her that it landed in
the lap of a TV cameraman
ilming her second-round
match against 65th-ranked
American Christina McHale.
Williams recovered to
force a third set, only to fall
behind yet again Friday,
perilously close to what
would have been the six-time
champion’s earliest exit in
17 Wimbledon appearances.
But as she herself declared
afterward: “Mentally, no one
can break me.”
Eventually,
the
top-ranked Williams did
indeed come through, edging
McHale 6-7 (7), 6-2, 6-4 for
a thrill-a-minute victory at a
tournament so rain drenched
this week that matches will
be scheduled on the middle
Sunday for only the fourth
time in 139 years.
The
dramatics
of
Williams’ match, which
concluded with the main
stadium’s retractable roof
closed, were equaled by
those of her older sister
Venus: She had to wait out
three rain delays, including
one of more than an hour
AP Photo/Ben Curtis
Serena Williams of the U.S smashes her racket after losing her irst set to Christina McHale of the U.S during
their women’s singles match on day ive of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 1, 2016.
that arrived, of all times,
right as she held a match
point. But Venus, owner of
ive titles at the All England
Club, persevered, too, barely
getting past 29th-seeded
Daria Kasatkina 7-5, 4-6,
10-8 to become one of only
two women already into the
fourth round.
“You see a winner go by
you, and a lob go in, and
you’re like, ‘My god, what’s
next?”’ said Venus, who
at 36 is the oldest woman
in the ield and has played
about 6 1/2 hours of tennis in
the past two days, including
singles and doubles.
Of the way things went
for her Friday, including the
interruption at match point
while she led 5-4 in the third
and Kasatkina served at
30-40, Venus said: “It was
like a Hollywood script.”
Serena’s mood soured
when she had a set point
in the irst and appeared
to have converted it, until
McHale — who’s never
been past the third round
at a major — successfully
challenged the call that her
shot landed out. From there,
McHale played aggressively,
and when she grabbed that
set, 21-time Grand Slam
champion Serena took out
her frustration on her racket.
“I was just really, really,
really angry. I had a lot of
chances,” said Serena, who
acknowledged she faces a
ine for her display and joked
that she needed to reach her
racket-smashing quota for
the season. “She got really
lucky on some shots.”
Despite all that went on in
the siblings’ matches — they
overlapped, so their mother,
Oracene Price, hustled from
No. 1 Court, where she saw
Venus win, across the way
to catch the end of Serena’s
victory — the most shocking
development Friday was
what was going on in Novak
Djokovic’s
third-rounder
against 28th-seeded Sam
Querrey of the U.S. before
it was suspended because of
showers in the evening.
Djokovic, owner of
a 30-match Grand Slam
winning streak that includes
the past four major titles,
allowed Querrey to seize
the irst two sets 7-6 (6), 6-1
during their 72 minutes of
action. Given the way things
were going for the No.
1-seeded Djokovic, he had
to be thrilled that the match
was halted, giving him a
night to rest and regroup.
Only one man managed
to move his way into the
fourth round: Roger Federer.
He got to play in the main
stadium, with the roof
overhead, and easily beat
Britain’s Daniel Evans 6-4,
6-2, 6-2.
Four other third-round
men’s
matches
were
suspended in progress.
Worst of all, from a
scheduling standpoint, one
second-round men’s match
is still not inished, with No.
24 Alexander Zverev locked
in a ifth set against Mikhail
Youzhny. And three second-
round women’s matches are
also pending.
That is why oficials
decided to scrap the tradi-
tional rest day on the irst
Sunday, something that was
done only in 1991, 1997 and
2004.
“I might take a day off
tomorrow, just because
I can,” the 34-year-old
Federer said with a smile.
“Yeah, I can. I’m sorry, I
can. I have to take them
when I can. I’m an old guy.”
Among the other winners
Friday was 2009 U.S. Open
champion Juan Martin del
Potro, who has had three
operations on his left wrist
since he last participated
at Wimbledon in 2013. He
eliminated
fourth-seeded
Stan Wawrinka, a two-time
major champion, 3-6, 6-3,
7-6 (2), 6-3 to reach the third
round.
“My
hands
(are)
shaking,” del Potro said after
being regaled with a lengthy
ovation at Centre Court. “It’s
a great sensation for me,
because I’m playing tennis
again — and I feel alive.”
MORRISON: Strong performances at camps helped build conidence
Continued from 1B
“I remember going
into high school I was still
trying to igure out if I liked
basketball or softball more,”
she said recently while
taking a break between
summer league road trips. “I
was kind of divided.”
Morrison had yet to
realize her immense talent
on the diamond, which isn’t
that surprising considering
her irst experience with the
sport.
She was 10, and had just
gone undrafted for the Little
League All-Star season.
But a roster extension got
her on the squad, and she
remembers feeling like the
extra wheel at times.
“They kind of had me in
the outield, at irst base, kind
of sitting a little,” which was
all right with her, she said. “I
was irst starting playing, not
really sure of what all I can
and can’t do, still tripping
over my feet and everything.
It was just a lot of iguring
out what I wanted to do with
the sport, how hard I wanted
to play, and inding my spot
on the team.”
Needless to say, she
eventually found it. But it
wasn’t until a softball camp
at University of Oregon
four years later that her eyes
opened to the possibility of
making the sport something
more than a hobby.
“I hit a home run when
we were doing hitting
practice,” she said. “Just
hearing all the parents
cheering for me, and then
I was like, ‘Oh! I just hit a
home run on a college ield.’
“That kind of just was
one of those moments where
I was like, ‘Hey, maybe I’m
not too bad at this sport.’”
More followed, and
between the high school
team, summer league and
winter camps, softball soon
became a year-round passion.
“I went from being the girl
that was like, ‘Oh, that’s so
cool that she made that play,’
all of a sudden it was like,
‘I’m the girl that’s making
the cool plays and everyone
is cheering for me,’” she
said. “I think going to college
camps just opened my eyes
up to what my skill set was
compared to other people.”
Part of the reason
Morrison needed to leave
the region to notice her
blooming talents may have
been due to the shadow
being cast by a naturally
gifted teammate.
When Morrison was
placed on her irst all-star
team, she found herself on a
roster with 2015 Pendleton
graduate Darian Lindsey.
Though much smaller in
stature, Lindsey was a
player Morrison looked up
to because of the things she
was able to do on the ield.
If she could just imitate
Lindsey, Morrison igured,
she’d probably have a
chance to be halfway decent.
“I don’t think I’d be even
half the player I was without
having her inluence, and
just kind of growing up with
her and playing with her,
and knowing ‘Hey, if she
can do that, I can do that,’”
Morrison said.
Lindsey and Morrison
went on to win two OSAA
state championships
together at Pendleton before
Lindsey headed off to start
her collegiate career at Mt.
Hood Community College.
Morrison will attend and
play softball at Portland
State University in the fall,
and said she’s hoping to
reunite with her on-ield
mentor one day.
Lindsey’s older sister,
Shae, is also a member of
the softball team at Portland
State, so it’s always a
possibility that’s out there.
“I’m hoping she goes
in that direction, but she’ll
excel wherever she goes,”
Morrison said.
With her high school
career now over, Morrison
said there a lot of things
she’s going to remember
fondly. Her stats aren’t really
one of them, though.
“I think I accomplished
more than I probably
expected,” she said. “I
remember going into my
sophomore year I made a
list of things I wanted to
accomplish — I wanted to
steal this many bases, or have
this many walks. But I think
at the end of it when you look
back on it, the things that you
accomplish that really matter
to you isn’t getting a certain
number on a certain statistic.
“(It’s) just the memories
you make and the bonds you
create, and the people you
become friends with, and the
stuff that happens on the bus
and in the hotels. And I think
all of that goes to help what
happens on the ield too.”
ALL-EO Softball First Team
Pitcher
Jessica
Lambert,
Weston-
McEwen, SR
Pitcher
Lauren
Richards,
Pendleton,
SO
2nd Team
3A All-State;
EOL Player
of the Year;
EOL Pitcher
of the Year;
.449 avg; .495
OBP; .775
SLG; 11 dou-
bles; 6 HR; 43
RBI; 17 runs;
.982 FLG; 105
IP; 15-4 W-L;
1.37 ERA; 167
K; 18 BB
1st Team 5A
All-State;
CRC Pitcher
of the Year;
All-League
1st Team;
.363 avg; .452
OBP; .425
SLG; 5 dou-
bles; 17 RBI;
28 runs; 81.1
IP; 12-2 W-L;
1.81 ERA; 116
K; 26 BB; .975
FLG
Pitcher
Mallory
Copeland,
Mac-Hi, JR
2nd Team
4A All-State;
GOL Player
of the Year;
All-League
1st Team;
.495 avg;
.539 OBP;
.886 SLG; 18
doubles; 7
HR; 56 RBI;
28 runs; 158.1
IP; 2.60 ERA;
113 K; 28 BB;
23-5 W-L;
.959 FLG
Catcher
Jamie
Hinkley,
Hermiston,
SR
First Base
Kenzie
Blankenship,
Echo/Stan-
ield, SR
Inield
Ellie
Richards,
Pendleton,
SR
2nd Team
5A All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.362 avg; .375
OBP; .404
SLG; 2 RBI;
8 runs; .929
FLG
HM 3A
All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.402 avg; .505
OBP; .782
SLG; 10 dou-
bles; 7 HR; 32
RBI; 38 runs;
1.000 FLG; 14
steals
1st Team 5A
All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.506 avg;
.547 OBP;
.630 SLG; 10
doubles; 27
RBI; 31 runs;
.847 FLG
Inield
Micha
Fortune,
Mac-Hi, SR
Inield
Bekah Roe,
Pilot Rock,
JR
1st Team 4A
All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.480 avg;
.545 OBP;
.929 SLG; 8
doubles; 6 tri-
ples; 8 HR; 44
RBI; 43 runs;
.933 FLG; 14
steals
SD6 Player
of the Year;
All-League
1st Team;
.593 avg; .632
OBP; 1.081
SLG; 7 dou-
bles; 7 triples;
7 HR: 51
RBI; 43 runs;
.952 FLG; 24
steals
Inield
Shannon
Carter,
Mac-Hi, SR
Inield
Isabelle
Dillow
Weston-
McEwen, SR
Outield
Alexis
Morrison,
Pendleton,
SR
Outield
Jenny
Field,
Mac-Hi, SR
Outield
Brooke
Kralman,
Mac-Hi, SR
Designated
Player
Abi Biggs,
Mac-Hi, SR
1st Team 4A
All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.432 avg;
.474 OBP;
.489 SLG; 12
RBI; 25 runs;
.900 FLG; 15
steals
2nd Team
4A All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.304 avg; .402
OBP; .359
SLG; 15 RBI;
16 runs; .971
FLG
HM 4A
All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.430 avg; .524
OBP; .709
SLG; 7 HR;
25 RBI; 24
runs
Outield
Amie
Coffman,
Weston-
McEwen, FR
Outield
Hannah
McCarty,
Echo/Stan-
ield, JR
Outield
Kelly
McLaughlin,
Irrigon, SR
2nd Team
3A All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.412 avg;
.483 OBP;
.451 SLG; 12
RBI; 26 runs;
.966 FLG; 13
steals
HM 3A
All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.400 avg;
.538 OBP;
.500 SLG; 7
RBI; 37 runs;
.876 FLG; 15
steals
1st Team 5A
All-State;
CRC Player
of the Year;
All-League
1st Team;
.526 avg; .629
OBP; 1.118
SLG; 12 dou-
bles; 3 triples;
9 HR: 30 RBI;
44 runs; 19
steals; .955
FLG
Utility
Mikayla
Kopacz,
Hermiston,
SR
2nd Team
5A All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.323 avg; .421
OBP; .516
SLG; 6 RBI;
4 runs; .719
FLG
ALL-EO Softball Second Team
Pitcher
Tehya
Ostrom,
Pilot Rock,
JR
Pitcher
Rebekka
Holman,
Pilot Rock,
SR
Pitcher
MacKenzie
Gonzales,
Echo/Stan-
ield, JR
Catcher
Sydney
Peal,
Weston-
McEwen, JR
First Base
Kiersten
Murphy,
Pendleton,
SR
Inield
Madison
Dave,
Pilot Rock,
SR
All-League
1st Team;
.493 avg;
.544 OBP;
.648 SLG; 5
doubles; 2
RBI; 23 RBI;
26 runs; 75.2
IP; 12-0 W-L;
1.01 ERA;
84 K; 17 BB;
1.000 FLG
All-League
1st Team;
.440 avg; .556
OBP; .500
SLG; 16 RBI;
19 runs; 50.2
IP; 9-2 W-L;
1.65 ERA; 57
K; 7 BB; .935
FLG
All-League 1st
Team; .311
avg.; .425
OBP; .426
SLG; 16 RBI;
20 runs; 117.2
IP; 11-8 W-L;
2.49 ERA;
122 K; 49 BB;
.933 FLG; 10
steals
HM 3A
All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.406 avg; .525
OBP; .531
SLG; 5 dou-
bles; 1 HR; 20
RBI; 11 runs;
.995 FLG
3rd Team
5A All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.324 avg;
.395 OBP;
.437 SLG; 8
doubles; 19
RBI; 14 runs;
.951 FLG
All-League
1st Team;
.520 avg; .575
OBP; .947
SLG; 15 dou-
bles; 1 triple;
5 HR; 49 RBI;
36 runs; .921
FLG
2nd Team
4A All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.362 avg;
.487 OBP;
.447 SLG;
4 doubles;
2 triples; 18
RBI; 34 runs;
.902 FLG; 17
steals
HM 3A
All-State;
All-League
1st Team;
.580 avg; .608
OBP; .761
SLG; 8 dou-
bles; 2 HR; 24
RBI; 46 runs;
.875 FLG; 13
steals
Designated
Player
Sara
Weinke,
All-League 1st Pilot Rock,
JR
Team
All-League
1st Team;
.456 avg; .554
OBP; .735
SLG; 7 dou-
bles; 3 triples;
2 HR; 25 RBI;
27 runs
Utility
Jordyn
Lambert,
Weston-
McEwen, FR
All-League
1st Team;
.514 avg;
.588 OBP;
.847 SLG; 6
doubles; 28
RBI; 34 runs;
.941 FLG