Sage, CdM on road today

The girls’ tennis teams from Corona del Mar High and Sage Hill School are on the road for CIF Southern Section quarterfinal playoff matches in their respective divisions today.

The Sea Kings (18-2), the No. 3 seed in Division I, are in Manhattan Beach to face Mira Costa at 3 p.m. at the Manhattan Country Club

Sage Hill (15-4), the No. 2 seed in Division IV, ventures to Walnut for a 2 p.m. contest.

It’s a rematch for Coach Brian Ricker’s defending Division I champion Sea Kings, who defeated Mira Costa, 10-8, in the season opener on Sept. 11.

In their previous meeting, at Corona del Mar, the CdM doubles pairings of Karen Ishii and Lindsay Zotovich, as well as Kelli Freeley and Danielle Kaiden, both swept.

CdM singles standouts Melissa Matsuoka and Hailey Hogan won two of three sets, both losing to Mustangs standout Nicole Gibbs. Gibbs, 14, is ranked No.1 in the nation in girls’ 16 singles by the United States Tennis Assn.

Coach A.G. Longoria’s Lightning share one common opponent with Walnut this season.

Sage defeated Santa Ynez, 10-8, while Walnut, champion of the San Antonio League, eliminated Santa Ynez in Saturday’s second round, 12-6.

The Lightning have posted postseason wins over Cypress and Arroyo Valley, both by 15-3 margins.

CdM, which handled Northwood, 17-1, Saturday, won by a similar margin against Fullerton in the first round.

Should CdM win today, it would face either No. 2-seeded Troy or Peninsula in Thursday’s semifinals.

A victory would propel Sage into Thursday’s semifinals against either No. 3-seeded Rio Mesa or Cerritos.

— From staff reports