THE PREPS : Southern Section Tennis : Corona del Mar’s Scott Reaches Final but Tires and Loses in Straight Sets

The biggest obstacle Danielle Scott of Corona del Mar High School faced in her attempt to reach the Southern Section individual tennis final Saturday was Laura Kimel.

Kimel, of Santa Barbara Dos Pueblos, extended Scott in the semifinals, running her all over the court at the Irvine Racquet Club in a two-hour match.

Scott eventually overcame Kimel, but she didn’t have much left for the final, which she lost to Kim Po of Miraleste, 6-1, 6-4.

Scott, a senior, had about 30 minutes’ rest between the 7-6, 6-3 semifinal victory over Kimel and the final.

Po had an easier semifinal match. Her 6-2, 6-2 win over Annika Wasserman of Los Angeles Westlake lasted only an hour.

“It was hard to get going again,” Scott said. “She (Po) played good. It was nerves, too, I thought. I was just happy to get here.

“I wish I could have gotten started earlier. She just played really well in the first set.”

Po, a junior ranked third in the national 16-year-old age group, had an easy time of it in the first set, then overcame Scott’s challenge in the second.

Scott held serve for a 4-3 lead in the second, but Po held serve to tie at 4-4, then overpowered Scott.

It was the third time the two had faced each other this season. Po won all three matches, the closest of which was 7-6.