Sea Kings hang with Trojans, but lose

IRVINE — Before Tuesday, Corona del Mar High boys’ tennis was undefeated this season and cruising past the opposition.

“We have had a good season, [but] I said to our kids a couple of weeks ago that we have this brick wall in front of us coming up,” CdM Coach Brian Ricker said.

Well, even with a warning, CdM ran right into that brick wall at University High in a big Pacific Coast League match Tuesday.

The overwhelming amount of talent on the University squad was too much for even a rolling Sea Kings team to win, as CdM (8-1, 2-1 in league) lost to the unbeaten Trojans, 11-7.

University (9-0, 3-0) is ranked No. 1 in the CIF Southern Section Division I coaches’ poll, while the Sea Kings are No. 6.

The first go-around was rough for the Sea Kings. But the doubles team of seniors Matt Fisher and Pierce Stemler was the diamond in that rough.

As they battled deep into the set with University’s Kona Loon and Anthony Ngyuen, all other sets had come to a close with CdM losing in each. It was up to Fisher and Stemler to at least get CdM on the board going into the second go-around.

And with almost 100 students and parents watching intensely as the set went to a 13-game tie-break, the duo produced four unanswered shots to go up 5-1 in the first-to-seven tie-break.

After chasing down a floater to his baseline, Stemler flicked a return floater that lofted into the wind, bounced awkwardly, and caused Loon to hit it straight into the net.

“There was a little bit of luck in that last overhead shot,” Stemler said after the set. “I think that was the turning point.”

It was not the turning point in the set. It was the end point.

CdM’s No. 1 doubles team won, 7-6, and injected some energy back into the Sea Kings, and in particular the other doubles teams.

Stemler and Fisher opened the second go-around with a straight set, 6-0, win as Ismean Aboubakare and Carl Fletcher followed suit beating out their opponents, 6-4, while Alex Murray and Carter Wheatley knocked out an important 6-4 win.

The three wins, along with a deep set, 7-6 victory by singles player Shane Korber, put the overall match score at, 7-5, in favor of University and left a slight opening for the Sea Kings to steal a win from the highly touted Trojan squad.

“I thought our boys fought hard after going down 1-5 and not quitting at all,” Coach Ricker said. “It shows a lot of heart and character and just shows we can play with [University].”

The third go-around showed the depth in CdM’s doubles as Aboubakare and Fletcher won their second set of the day, 6-2, while Murray and Wheatley, once again followed suit, winning 7-5.

The match, however, was out of reach as the Sea Kings singles players failed to produce a win in the third go-around.

“To win six out of nine sets in doubles against a great team like [University] is great,” Ricker said. “But I still think our singles guys are ready to break out. Shane [Korber] is on the verge of a big breakout and Ryan [Peyton] is a tenacious fighter …You know, we’re in there. I hate to lose but we can walk away from this relatively happy.”

The Sea Kings will take next week off in league play for spring break, but will return to action at Peninsula High, who are ranked No. 2 in CIF Division I.

CdM feels it will be its opportunity to beat a higher ranked team and gain the chance for a better draw going into playoffs.