Girls’ Tennis: Big day for CdM
IRVINE — The old guard dominated Thursday afternoon at the Pacific Coast League girls’ tennis tournament at Beckman High.
Woodbridge High senior Stephanie Hazell won her fourth straight league singles title. University High senior Yuki Asami, teamed this year with Celine Gruaz, won her third league doubles title in four years.
But one of the biggest stories was a big day for Corona del Mar.
CdM’s Riley Gerdau and Siena Sharf were doubles finalists before falling to Asami and Gruaz in an eight-game pro set, 8-0. CdM freshman Danielle Willson was a singles finalist before losing to Hazell, 8-1.
As league finalists, the trio all advance to the CIF Southern Section Individuals tournament, the first CdM players to make it there since Lynda Xepoleas four years ago.
Gerdau and Sharf, as well as Willson, will continue on at their home courts. The Sea Kings host the first three rounds of CIF Individuals on Nov. 24.
“Every year that I’ve been at CdM, not one person has made it [to CIF Individuals],” said Gerdau, a four-year varsity starter. “I didn’t know even what it really is. I didn’t know what it was a thing. I don’t know what it’s going to be like when we go. I’m excited, though. I’m glad it’s at home, too. That’s going to make me feel more comfortable.”
Gerdau and Sharf are the first CdM doubles team to make CIF Individuals since Melissa Matsuoka and Hailey Hogan in 2009. This year, Gerdau and Sharf were the league’s top seeds in doubles. They defeated the No.4 University team of Tiffany Madlambayan and Ashlyn Wang, 6-0, 6-0, in the semifinals.
They then ran into No. 2-seeded Asami and Gruaz, who were dominant in a high-quality title match.
“I didn’t know Gruaz was as good as she was, because she played with someone else [during league],” Sharf said. “I think it was a lot closer than the number said. It was ‘deuce’ in a lot of the games ... I think we were very consistent today.
“Going into CIF, pretty much all of the matches are going to be like that. This match prepared us for it, and we know what to practice now.”
Willson, the No. 6 seed in singles, had to pull an upset to make the title match. She topped No. 2-seeded Alyssa Rudin of University, 6-4, 6-2, in the semifinals.
CdM Coach Brian Ricker said it was mentally the best match he’s seen Willson play all year. She lost twice to Rudin in league dual matches this year, 6-4 and 7-6.
“I felt like her ground strokes were outstanding,” Ricker said. “She kept the ball higher over the net and deep, controlled the rallies and was almost error-free. It’s nice to see a freshman beat a girl who she’s lost to twice already.”
Willson was also a bit unclear on the concept of CIF Individuals, but she said she definitely wanted to beat Rudin and get there.
“I didn’t get mad at [Rudin] when there was a close call or something,” Willson said. “I kept my cool. I thought that really helped a lot, because when I played her in league, some points I would get really mad. It would frustrate me so much, to the point where I’d [try to] just slap winners and I’d hit them out.”
After she won the semifinal match, Ricker walked up to Willson and explained what she had just clinched.
“A good day [for us],” Ricker said after all of the matches were complete. “It’s fun to go to CIF Individuals. It’s disappointing that a league as strong as ours cannot qualify more than two singles and two doubles. I’ve argued with the CIF committee over that issue many, many times, and lost.”
Another interesting debate will be settled Monday, when the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoff brackets are released. CdM is currently ranked No. 4 in Division 1, ahead of No. 5 Los Alamitos and No. 7 Santa Barbara, teams the Sea Kings have lost against.
Ricker, who coordinates the Division 1 polls, said it’s been a tough year for that job.
“[Nos.] 3 through 7 right now, everybody has beaten each other,” Ricker said. “Santa Barbara beat us, but Santa Barbara lost to Mira Costa, and we beat Mira Costa. The same with Los Al. It’s complicated. It’s a very challenging year to do the poll.”
Per CIF rules, CdM also cannot be in the same half of the draw as league champion University, the presumed No. 2 seed behind Peninsula. That means that CdM will likely be seeded No. 4 or 5. The first round of the playoffs is Wednesday.
CdM’s doubles team of Taylor Fogarty and Camellia Edalat finished fourth at league finals. Fogarty and Edalat fell to Asami and Gruaz, 6-1, 6-2, in the semifinals and to Wang and Madlambayan, 8-6, in the third-place match.
