Sailors team up for win

SANTA ANA — Early in the season, the results of the matches are fairly insignificant to the Newport Harbor High girls’ tennis team.

True, the Sailors (2-0) eased to a 16-2 win at former Sea View League foe Foothill (1-2) on Wednesday.

But Sailors Coach Fletcher Olson has high hopes for Newport Harbor, which won its third consecutive league title last year but lost in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs.

Even in a lopsided victory over a Foothill team that started just one senior, there were things to work on as the Sailors — now in the Sunset League — search for their team identity.

“The girls were very flat today,” Olson said. “They were lucky to pull out a win, and they’re going to have to work a whole lot harder as the season progresses.”

Singles was a strength for the Sailors. Junior Alex McIntosh, senior Chrissy Schwartz and junior Emily Gelbaum were not seriously tested, sweeping their nine sets by scores ranging from 6-0 to 6-2.

In doubles, senior Sasha Dunlap said she has adjusted well to her new partner, junior Brittany Sowers. Dunlap, who advanced with Schwartz to the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section doubles tournament last season, swept her doubles sets with Sowers on the day.

“I’ve never played with a lot of these girls before, and we’ve already bonded so well,” Dunlap said. “I play really well with Brittany already, and I feel really confident this year.

“As a team, we’re confident,” she continued. “It’s about the team, not individuals, even in singles.”

McIntosh also highlighted the team aspect. She played doubles with 2006 graduate Megan McKay much of last season, but was clearly comfortable in the No. 1 singles role on Wednesday, losing a single game over her three sets.

“It was a good team effort,” McIntosh said. “I think we’ll do pretty well this year. We’re still just mixing up people, trying to figure out where everybody should go.”

That was evident, with sophomore Natalie Small — who played No. 2 singles in a season-opening win over Sunny Hills on Tuesday — playing No. 2 doubles with partners Ariana Cernius and Christina Shaw.

It was all for the good of the team, and Olson said that recurring theme will be important.

“They’ve got to come together as a team to do well,” she said. “They’re working on that.”

But while Newport Harbor may still be a work in progress, the team remains dangerous.

The Sailors rolled through the Knights, taking a 5-1 sets lead after one go-round and sweeping the second go-round for a commanding 11-1 lead.

“I’m kind of mad we switched leagues,” Dunlap said. “I’ve seen all these girls from [Sea View League] schools for three years, and wish we could play them again in league. But I’m glad we can play them in nonleague [matches]. It was a good win.”

Nonleague

Newport Harbor 16,

Foothill 2

Singles -- McIntosh (NH) def. Tackett, 6-0, def. Williamson, 6-0, def. Stryker, 6-1; Schwartz (NH) won, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2; Gelbaum (NH) won, 6-2, 6-1, 6-0.

Doubles -- Dunlap-Sowers (NH) def. Moeser-Randall, 6-3, def. Katzman-Seeds, 6-2, def. Small-Nicholson, 6-2; (sub) Small-Shaw (NH) lost, 3-6, Small-Cernius (NH) lost, 4-6, won, 6-1; Shea-Sigalos (NH) won, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1.