CdM stops Sailors

Richard Dunn

Wednesday was a day for the scrapbook, even though it wasn’t a

typical girls tennis match between perennial powers Corona del Mar

and Newport Harbor high schools.

Senior Anne Yelsey and freshman sister Rachel played doubles again

at No. 2 for Corona del Mar and posed for a family picture after

sweeping all three sets in the host Sea Kings’ 15-3 victory over

their Back Bay rival.

With his team at full strength for the first time this season the

past week, CdM Coach Andy Stewart’s squad added a nonleague win over

Newport Harbor’s Sailors, after defeating University, 10-8, in a

crucial Pacific Coast League match Tuesday.

“When we lost to University the first time in league, we won three

doubles sets, then (Tuesday) we won seven,” Stewart said. “It’s great

having Anne Yelsey and Brittany Holland playing doubles, then we had

a nice sweep (in singles) by Taylynn Snyder.”

Against Newport Harbor (11-8), Snyder swept all three sets at No.

1 singles, while junior Amanda Rubenstein and sophomore Tawny Minna

combined to sweep at No. 2 singles, with Rubenstein beating Newport

Harbor’s No. 1 player, Vanessa Dunlap, 6-2, and No. 2 player,

Danielle Haxby, 6-0. Minna, a third-round replacement, beat Harbor’s

Gabby Kay, 6-2.

CdM sophomore Jamie Steele captured two of three sets at No. 3

singles, including two 6-0 wins, while the Corona del Mar doubles won

seven of nine sets.

Holland (groin injury) and Anne Yelsey (right knee) had been out

with injuries, including Yelsey since the beginning of the year. But

now everyone’s back.

“For Brittany, it’s great, because she doesn’t have to move around

as much and she can work on her volley,” Stewart said of the two-time

defending Pacific Coast League doubles champion (with Snyder last

year and Leslie Damion in 2000).

Holland, a junior, is expected to play doubles again this year

with Snyder, a senior, in the postseason, with hopes of winning a CIF

Southern Section title. They reached the CIF Finals last year, losing

Celia Durkin and Erin Everly of Calabasas.

Yelsey, who has until Sunday to decide her college tennis future

(Stanford, Harvard or UCLA), hopes to play singles in the PCL

Championships Nov. 6-7. League coaches will vote Monday night on

Yelsey’s eligibility into the PCL Finals, because the league requires

a player to participate in a minimum of five league matches and

Yelsey will have competed in four.

“But there’s a legitimate reason -- it’s hard to restrict somebody

because of an injury,” Stewart said. “When the doctor tells you not

to play, you’re not supposed to play. She also came to all the

matches. Even though she was not playing, she showed up.”

Yelsey, the 2000 PCL singles champion, defaulted in the PCL title

match last year to teammate Damion after experiencing back trouble.

“I’d be shocked if (the league coaches) didn’t vote her in,” said

Stewart, who had a player (Brittany Reitz) voted ineligible by the

PCL coaches last year, and the future Purdue player and 2000 CIF

individual singles champion could not try to repeat in the

postseason. The top two PCL players in singles and doubles qualify

for CIF.

In Stewart’s previous three seasons as CdM coach, the Sea Kings

have captured league titles in doubles, beginning with Damion and

Kristin Griffith in 1999.

In CdM’s victory over Newport Harbor, Holland teamed with junior

Juliette Mutzke to sweep at No. 1 doubles without dropping a game,

while Anne Yelsey and Rachel Yelsey swept, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2. Freshman Rachel Miller and sophomore Jackie Manning added a 6-4 win in the

first round at No. 3 doubles.

Corona del Mar, ranked No. 3 in the Southland by the Los Angeles

Times, enjoyed a 6-0 first-round lead and an 11-1 edge after two rounds. While the suspense ended early, the match barely finished

before dark.

CdM hosts Calvary Chapel today at 3 p.m. and travels to Northwood

Monday for the PCL finale.

NONLEAGUE

CdM 15, Newport Harbor 3

Singles -- Snyder (CdM) def. Dunlap, 6-3, def. Haxby,

6-0, def. Kay, 6-0; Rubenstein (CdM) won 6-2, 6-0, 6-2; Steele (CdM)

lost 3-6, won 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles -- Holland-Mutzke (CdM) def. Olson-Khoury, 6-0,

def. B. Adams-McIntosh, 6-0, def. Sturgess-McKay, 6-0; A. Yelsey-R.

Yelsey (CdM) won 6-1, 6-3, 6-2; Miller-Manning (CdM) lost 2-6, 2-6,

won 6-4.