Manning rallies for gritty win

Steve Virgen

It may have been just a first-round match of a mid-summer tournament

she’s playing in before going to college, but that did not mean

Jackie Manning wasn’t determined to win.

On the contrary, Manning, who graduated from Corona del Mar High

last month, showed her mettle and will to win, rallying for a 5-7,

6-3, 6-1 victory over Lauren Oversmith of San Diego in the first

round of girls 18s in the 15th annual War by the Shore tennis

tournament at Balboa Bay Club Racquet Club Monday.

Manning, who earned second-team All-Pacific Coast League honors as

a shortstop for the Sea Kings softball team this past spring, plans

to use the same type of determination while at New York University.

She will major in sports management at NYU and wants to become the

general manager of the Boston Red Sox.

“Theo [Epstein] better watch out,” said Manning, who also plans to

play tennis at NYU.

On Monday, it was Oversmith who had to watch out. In the third

game of the second set, Oversmith called a Manning shot out. But

Manning quickly protested and said the shot landed well inside the

line. Oversmith disagreed, yet Manning was awarded the point and

eventually won the game to go up, 4-1.

Manning displayed a defiant stare at Oversmith shortly after the

brief argument that ended in a Manning point.

“I don’t put up with [being accused of making a bad call],”

Manning said. “And, I’ll let them know, too, that I don’t put up with

bad line calls.”

Manning went up, 5-1, in the second set, before Oversmith answered

with two straight victories. But Manning quieted Oversmith’s comeback

by winning, 6-3.

“After winning the second set, I knew I could win,” Manning said.

“I was determined to win. I knew I could beat her.”

Manning broke Oversmith’s serve to open the deciding set, but

Oversmith, who will be a senior at Point Loma High in the fall, broke

back. However, Manning kept coming at Oversmith and capitalizing on

her mistakes, as she won the next five games.

It took Manning five match points to collect the victory in a

match that lasted just a little more than two hours.

“I’m really disappointed,” Oversmith said. “I made too many

unforced errors. It was a good match but it could have been better.”

Oversmith was frustrated after the match and said she did not like

Manning’s attitude.

“There’s no reason she should have [protested the call],”

Oversmith said. “That’s so wrong on her part.”

Manning advanced to the round of 16, where she will take on Helen

Altieri today at 3:30 p.m.

Several locals scored wins today in an event that runs through

Friday.

In girls 18s, Diana Khoury, a Newport Harbor product, defeated

Nedda Safi, 6-0, 6-0. Khoury plays No. 5 seed Paige Weber today at 2

p.m. in the round of 16, while No. 2 seed Jillian Braverman, a

sophomore-to-be at Corona del Mar, will take on Vijan Delosreyes

today at 3:30 p.m.

In boys 14s, Newport Coast resident Brent Pham, the No. 11 seed,

will play against fourth-seeded Salvador today at 11 a.m. in the

round of 16. Pham defeated Ron Tisalan, 6-2, 6-2, Monday.

Corona del Mar resident John Leonard, who went on to lose to

Salvador, defeated Alexander Grosek, 6-1, 6-0. Omeed Ghassemi of

Corona del Mar defeated Nikko Okamoto-Coen, 6-1, 6-1. Costa Mesa’s

Bradley Fisher won a thrilling match over James Parr, 6-4, 6-7 (3-7),

7-6 (7-5).

In girls 14s, Lindsay Zotovich defeated Shannon Henderson, 6-3,

6-1. Cierra Gaytan-Leach, a 12-year-old who will be an eighth grader

at Corona del Mar Junior High, also won in girls 14s, defeating Alex

Yates Robinson, 6-1, 6-0.

In boys 12s, Hayden Tremper, a Corona del Mar resident, defeated

Erik Heimstaedt of Newport Beach, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (8-6). Joseph Di

Giulio, a 9-year-old of Newport Beach, defeated Justin Agbayani, 6-3,

6-0.

Newport Beach’s Connor Curry, the No. 6 seed, beat Patrick

Lipscomb, 6-3, 6-2.

In boys 18s, Tyler Deck, a Newport Harbor product, will face Kevin

Kordestani today at 12:30 p.m. Dylan Espley-Jones, who will be a

senior at Newport Harbor, will take on fourth-seeded Taylor Leiby,

also at 12:30.

Girls 18s play will include Miranda Young, who will be a sophomore

at Corona del Mar, taking on Tiffany Teerawatananont today at 2 p.m.

in the round of 16 while an All-Newport Beach matchup in girls 16s

will feature Kelli Kawabe vs. Megan McKay at 2 p.m.

In girls 14s, Costa Mesa’s Eleanor Edles, the No. 10 seed, will

take on Kathryn King today at 3:30 p.m.