Schools
READER SUBMISSION: Dana Hills Girls Tennis are Victorious in CIF Championship Match
The Lady Dolphins earn the CIF-SS Division 1 tennis crown with a 10-8 win over University High.
The last two years Dana Hills Girls Varsity Tennis team has made it to the finals of the CIF SS Division 1 Tennis Championships, only to leave as finalists, instead of Champions, but not this year. On Monday, Nov. 21, the Dolphins headed up to the Claremont Club pumped up and ready to battle University High for the title.
Both teams have line ups as deep as they get, and Dana has the reputation of having the stronger singles line-up, while University has the reputation of having the stronger doubles line-up. The teams have met twice this season, with one win going to Dana and one win going to University.
Alyssa Smith, Dana's #1 singles player, led the team with her confidence and her incredible play. She swept all three of her sets, 6-0, 6-0, 6-0. Jessica Perez, Dana's #2 singles player, played impressively as well, sweeping her sets, 6-3, 6-1, 6-0.
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But the key to the win was going to be getting a couple of wins in doubles and Cassidy Spearman-Jacqueline Stewart, Dana's #1 doubles team, did just that. Winning their first set 6-4 gave Dana the edge they needed, and in the second round they came up with another huge win 6-2 over University's #3 doubles team.
University also penetrated Dana's singles, with one win in both the second and third rounds. That gave Dana a 9-8 lead, with the final doubles set still in play. Jessica Wilcox-AJ Gomer, Dana's #2 doubles team, were up 4-3 and with enormous cheering from fans of both teams, Wilcox-Gomer stayed strong to get the break and go up 5-3. Then with calm and confidence Jessica Wilcox served the final game and held. That last set gave the Dolphins the 10-8 victory.
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When Coach Justin Green was asked about the match, he said, "The doubles play was huge, they stepped up big today."
DANA HILLS 10, UNIVERSITY 8
Season 17-1; League: 8-0
Singles: Alyssa Smith (DH) def. Kyra Scott 6-0, def. Shayna Becker 6-0, def. Sarah Mae Garcia 6-0; Jessica Perez (DH) 6-3, 6-1, 6-0; Margo Pletcher (DH) 3-6, 3-6, 6-1.
Doubles: Cassidy Spearman-Jacqueline Stewart (DH) def. Krystal Lai-Kyla Scott 6-4, lost to Danielle Pham-Nassim Radmehr 1-6, def. Caroline Kolin-Shannon Theisen 6-2; Jessica Wilcox-AJ Gomer (DH) 3-6, 1-6, 6-3; Sabine Ludwig-Rebecca Gold (DH) 1-6, 0-6, 4-6.
