CdM moves on to semis

CORONA DEL MAR — If you asked Corona del Mar High Coach Brian Ricker, the girls’ tennis match against Troy was over before it started.

“Basically they conceded the match,” Ricker said.

His statement rang true Wednesday as the No. 1-seeded Sea Kings trounced Troy, 15-3, for the second time this season.

This time, CdM eliminated the Warriors in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs.

A year ago, these two battled in the semifinals before the Sea Kings pulled off a 10-8 upset and handed the Warriors their lone loss of the season.

Coach Donna Judd called it the “best match” she had ever seen in her 17 years at Troy.

Wednesday’s match almost went down as the worst.

CdM was on the verge of winning all 18 sets en route to advancing to the semifinals for the fifth time in Ricker’s five years as CdM’s coach.

The Sea Kings (18-0) needed to win three doubles sets to sweep. Going against the Warriors’ newly formed No. 1 doubles team proved to be too much for CdM late.

To Ricker, this new doubles team also hurt Troy’s chances of making it a competitive match.

Instead of playing seniors Stefanie Villajuan and Frances Tseng in their usual No. 1 and No. 2 singles spots, Troy (17-5) partnered the two for No. 1 doubles.

CdM took advantage, easily claiming all nine singles sets.

Troy only won six games in singles action. Four came after No. 1 singles player Melissa Matsuoka, a junior, was substituted for after sweeping every game in her first two sets.

As for Troy’s drastic move a day after beating Northwood, 11-7, in the second round to advance to the quarterfinals, Ricker had an answer.

“They’re playing doubles in CIF individuals this weekend,” Ricker said of Louisville-bound Villajuan and Seton Hall-recruit Tseng. “I think they decided they were going to use this as a good practice match because we have some good doubles teams.”

The postseason usually isn’t treated as a practice session, especially when these two programs compete against each other. CdM knocked out Troy for third straight year in the Division I playoffs.

The streak started in 2006, the same year the Sea Kings defeated the Warriors, 13-5, in the CIF Southern Section Division I championship. That season CdM went undefeated at 24-0. The Sea Kings hope to end this season perfect, too.

CdM heads to Peninsula of Rolling Hills Estates for a semifinals match today at 2 p.m.

Senior Danielle Kaiden, who plays No. 1 doubles with senior Lindsay Zotovich, said it won’t be as easy. CdM, without Matsuoka, beat the Panthers, 12-6, earlier this season.

“They have a lot of depth,” said Kaiden, who has committed to play at Cal Poly Pomona. “I think we’ll be fine.”

The only concern is Karen Ishii’s status.

The senior tripped over her right ankle and fell hard on her right hip while she and her No. 2 doubles partner Kelli Feeley wrapped up the first set.

Ricker substituted for Ishii. She held an ice bag on her hip and just watched the remainder of the match.

“My ankle is completely fine. I’ve sprained [it before],” said Ishii, who with Feeley dropped one set during the regular season. “My hip [is not fine]. I don’t really have a choice [of sitting out today]. I don’t think. I’m hoping [today] it will be OK.”

Ricker is hoping for a quick recovery.

“I don’t know,” said Ricker of who he would replace Ishii with if she couldn’t play today.

One thing is for sure, the Sea Kings aren’t conceding anything for a chance to return to the section finals after falling short of defending their title last season.

CIF Division I playoffs

Quarterfinals

Corona del Mar 15, Troy 3

Singles – Matsuoka (CdM) def. Chen, 6-0, (sub) Wang (CdM) def. Vicaldo, 6-4, Matsuoka def. Vo, 6-0; K. Nguyen (CdM) won, 6-1, 6-1, 6-0; Nazemi (CdM) won, 6-0, 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles – Kaiden-Zotovich (CdM) def. Villajuan-Tseng, 6-2, lost to Hui-Radde, 3-6, def. Chang-Kim, 6-1; Ishii-Feeley (CdM) won, 6-4, (sub) E. Nguyen-Feeley (CdM) won, 7-6, (sub) Murray-E. Nguyen (CdM) won, 6-3; Beyer-Polizois (CdM) lost, 2-6, 1-6, won, 6-1.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].