Girls’ Tennis: CdM goes back to back in PCL
IRVINE — The talk began early Tuesday morning for Corona del Mar High girls’ tennis players Camellia Edalat and Brooke Kenerson.
Edalat and Kenerson were excited in Nicholas Breslin’s first-period chemistry class at CdM. This would be the day that the Sea Kings’ No. 1 doubles team would get a chance to avenge its lone loss in Pacific Coast League play.
“It was a much-anticipated match,” said Kenerson, who remembers well losing to University’s top doubles team of Kayla Agustin and Ashlyn Wang, 7-6 (9-7) in the teams’ first league match.
The senior co-captain Edalat and junior Kenerson showed off their own doubles chemistry Tuesday at the Trojans’ courts. This time, the set wasn’t close, as the Corona del Mar duo earned a 6-1 victory over Agustin and Wang in the first round.
The Sea Kings as a whole were on top of their game as well. The result, a 13-5 victory over University, clinched a share of CdM’s second straight Pacific Coast League championship.
When CdM won at University last year, it snapped the Trojans’ 54-match league winning streak. But now it is CdM (16-0, 8-0 in league) which is dominating. The Sea Kings, who are top-ranked in CIF Southern Section Division 1, have won 18 straight league matches over the last two seasons. They can clinch this year’s league title outright by beating Northwood at home on Thursday.
Edalat and Kenerson swept University in doubles, by scores of 6-1, 6-2 and 6-3. Senior Jasie Dunk and junior Danielle Willson also swept in singles for CdM, which beat No. 5 University (9-4, 6-2) by the same 13-5 score as in the teams’ first meeting.
“Just a well-rounded win,” CdM Coach Jamie Gresh said. “I thought we really practiced well as a team [Monday]. I really stressed the importance of this match. We have Mira Costa [Wednesday] and Northwood on Thursday, but this was, on paper, the toughest match. I wanted the girls to really practice well, and they did that. We had a very focused practice, and I thought the girls executed really solidly today.
“I think we’ve been playing better and better each week. A lot of the weeks we’ve had three matches on our schedule, so they’re playing pretty much nine sets a week, which I think just gets you battle tested. We’ve stayed injury-free, healthy, and this group has been phenomenal this year in terms of team spirit. They had a team dinner [Monday] night, and I think those little things go a long way. There’s 15 of them, and they really kind of bought into the team concept. I think they’re enjoying this journey.”
Corona del Mar took a 4-2 lead after the first round, and the Trojans were at a disadvantage after singles player Halla Alajeely had to retire midway through her first set against Willson due to sickness. But Dunk and Willson were likely going to sweep anyway.
Dunk swept, 6-1, 6-0, 6-3, while Willson won her sets by scores of 3-0 (retired), 6-2, 6-1. Sophomore Roxy MacKenzie also won twice in singles for CdM, only losing to the Trojans’ Dana Feng.
Senior Izzy Dajee and sophomore Shaya Northrup nearly swept in doubles as well for CdM, which had the match all but clinched with a 9-3 advantage after two rounds. Dajee and Northrup were edged by Agustin and Wang, 7-5, in the third round, but University Coach John Kessler said he was not happy with the fight of his doubles teams overall.
The Trojans’ other three wins in doubles came against CdM’s No. 3 line.
“We’re lacking heart this year, and I don’t know why,” Kessler said. “CdM is a great team and they’re going to out-tennis you, so if you don’t show up with heart and ready to fight, you’re going to have a long day. Full credit to Jamie and his girls, but I am not happy with the way we are playing ... In doubles, I think we should be going toe to toe, but we lacked heart. I don’t think there’s a giant talent disparity. Camellia and Brooke wanted it more, and second doubles [Dajee and Northrup] played hard too. They came out ready to play, and I am disappointed with our effort.”
Gresh could not say the same about his Sea Kings, who play at Mira Costa on Wednesday before the home match against Northwood on Thursday. CdM beat Northwood, 11-7, in the teams’ first league meeting. The Timberwolves are ranked No. 10 in Division 1.
The Sea Kings then conclude Pacific Coast League action with a home match against Irvine on Monday, before the league individuals tournament begins Wednesday at Beckman.
The Division 1 playoffs are just two weeks away. CdM aims to end up at The Claremont Club for the championship match for the first time since 2008.
“We’re in really good spot,” Kenerson said. “Everybody just keeps getting better. Now that we’re closer to CIF, everyone has that in our head. That’s the goal, to make it to the finals and win CIF.”
