CdM less than perfect

CLAREMONT — The match was billed as a clash of styles, the traditionally strong doubles of the Corona del Mar High girls’ tennis team against the singles standouts of Dana Hills.

But somebody forgot to tell the Dolphins that Monday at The Claremont Club.

Dana Hills did sweep in singles, but it was the four doubles sets the Dolphins also won that helped them easily repeat as CIF Southern Section Division I champions, topping top-seeded and previously unbeaten CdM, 13-5.

Dana Hills senior Leyla Simmons and junior partner Victoria Wing swept in doubles, relatively unheard of against CdM.

“I don’t think of this match as representing the way we’ve ever played,” said CdM senior Danielle Kaiden, who won just once at No. 1 doubles with senior partner Lindsay Zotovich. “We lost [three sets] all year and then we lost two today. It’s not really a representation of how we are.

“I think we were all so excited for the whole day that we didn’t really focus. When it comes down to all the factors, I think we should have won like we did in the [regular] season, but I just don’t think we were ready.”

Second-seeded Dana Hills (22-1) lost to CdM (19-1) in the regular season, 11-7, although the Dolphins were without senior standout Brynn Boren. On Monday, Boren, senior Kristina Smith and sophomore Joanna Smith swept their nine singles sets for the Dolphins.

In the first round, Kristina Smith was down, 5-2, to CdM freshman Katelyn Nguyen. But Smith rallied to win the next five games and the set.

The stunner helped Dana Hills take a 4-2 lead after the first round, instead of the score being tied, 3-3.

“That’s the whole match right there, in my opinion,” Dana Hills Coach Mark Spearman said. “She just fought, fought, fought. It could have gone 3-3 if they win that, and it’s anybody’s ballgame after that.”

Dana Hills went up, 8-4, after two rounds, and clinched it midway through the third round.

“I put the lineup out there that I thought was best for us to try to win singles matches,” CdM Coach Brian Ricker said. “I could have put Katelyn maybe in doubles, but I thought she had a chance [in singles], and she did. Today they were just the better team. Their No. 1 doubles team came up strong.”

Senior Karen Ishii and junior Kelli Feeley did win twice at No. 2 doubles for the Sea Kings, as did the No. 3 tandem of seniors Rebecca Beyer and Paige Polizois.

“Dana’s known for strong singles and we’re known for strong doubles,” said Ishii, whose hip was fine after it caused her to miss the semifinal win against Peninsula. “We have our different trademarks, I guess, for the programs. We did talk about it. We thought people shouldn’t overlook Melissa [Matsuoka] and Katelyn, because they’re strong singles players too, but [the Dolphins] are just really strong in singles.”

Corona del Mar ended up thwarted in its quest for its ninth CIF girls’ tennis title, but the Sea Kings weren’t crushed after the match. For seniors Ishii, Kaiden, Zotovich and Polizois, it was the third straight year they had advanced to the Division I championship match.

CdM won the title in 2006, beating Troy to cap an undefeated season.

“Our girls had a great season and we’ve had a great run,” Ricker said. “When they were freshmen, if I would have told them they’d walk away with a championship and two finals [appearances], I think they all would have raised their hands and said, ‘I’ll sign up for that.’

“It’s a great run, especially in girls’ tennis. It’s kind of like football with the Pac-5 [Division]; all the best teams are in Division I. You have to have a super-special team to win Division I, and we’re here three years in a row. Today the seniors are sad, but they’ve had a good run.”

CIF Division I

Championship match

Dana Hills 13, Corona del Mar 5

Singles – Matsuoka (CdM) lost to J. Smith, 3-6, lost to K. Smith, 3-6, lost to Boren, 3-6; K. Nguyen (CdM) lost, 0-6, 5-7, 3-6; Nazemi (CdM) lost, 0-6, (sub) E. Nguyen (CdM) lost, 0-6, Nazemi lost, 3-6.

Doubles – Kaiden-Zotovich (CdM) def. Pletcher-Tomaiko, 6-2, lost to Simmons-Wing, 3-6, lost to Wilke-Beck, 0-6; Ishii-Feeley (CdM) won, 6-1, lost, 5-7, won, 6-4; Beyer-Polizois (CdM) won, 6-1, lost, 2-6, won, 6-4.