Doubles Teams Spur Calabasas Past Agoura Into Tennis Final

For the better part of the high school tennis season, Calabasas has exploited the strength of its powerful singles players. And with good reason--the duo of Natasha Pospich and Stacey Jellen form one of the most formidable one-two punches in the Southern Section.

But Thursday, the Coyotes received a boost from an unexpected source--their doubles teams--in a 12-6 victory over fourth-seeded Agoura in a 3-A Division semifinal. Top-ranked Calabasas will meet Westlake in the championship match Tuesday.

“The doubles are really starting to help out,” said Jellen, who lost just two games in sweeping to three singles victories. “There has been more pressure on the singles, so it helps now that the doubles are playing better.”

That fact was not lost on Agoura Coach Glenda Knox. “They know what it takes to win, and with the improvement of their doubles they are an awesome team.”

Calabasas (16-3) got the usual dominant play from Pospich and Jellen, who combined to win all six of their matches. However the Coyotes’ No. 3 singles player, Alison Paris, had a tougher time, losing to Agoura’s Lule Aydin, 4-6, then defaulting to Jacqui Cartoon.

Paris aggravated a pulled tendon in her right shoulder in the loss to Aydin, leading Coach Bill Bellatty to hold her out of the match against Cartoon.

Bellatty was able to rest Paris because of the strong play of Tracy Paris and Melissa Pifko, Calabasas’ No. 1 doubles team. Paris and Pifko swept all three of their matches, including a 6-2 win over Agoura’s No. 2 doubles team of Anne Fitzpatrick and Kimberly Park.

“Each week we feel more confident about our doubles,” Bellatty said. “It is nice to get wins from everyone. They all contributed.”

Westlake 9, Beverly Hills 9 (Westlake advances on games, 79-72)--Lauren Mazur and Alyse Bartelstone won all three of their matches at No. 1 doubles to lead third-seeded Westlake (23-1)into the final.