PREP TENNIS : Peninsula Again Shows It’s the Best

After being beaten by three Palos Verdes Peninsula High players Tuesday, Newport Harbor’s Jennifer Jacob said she still thought that team could be beaten.

By whom?

“Pros,” Jacob said.

For the third consecutive year, Peninsula easily won the Southern Section Division I girls’ tennis championship, this time beating Newport Harbor, 15-3, at the Claremont Club.

Senior Janet Lee swept all three of her matches, 6-0, against Jacob, Emily Barker and Katie Canright to lead the Panthers, who are 72-0 in the three years since the school was formed. Lee pointed out how her sets might have been closer if the Sailors hadn’t switched their top two singles players to doubles before the matches.

During a match this season against Newport Harbor (22-3), Lee gave up two games to Mara Colaizzi, the team’s regular No. 1 player.

“One of the closer matches I had,” said Lee, who is nationally ranked and played in the qualifying round at this year’s U.S. Open.

Peninsula senior Nicole London, also a nationally ranked player and former member of the U.S. junior national team, lost only one game in three sets. Senior Amber Basica, usually a doubles player, replaced her sister Amanda, and won her sets, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. Amanda, the nation’s top-ranked player in the 16s, is in New Zealand playing for the Youth World Cup 16-under division.

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In other finals in the Southern Section tournament:

Division II--Laguna Beach won its second consecutive title with an 11-7 victory over Huntington Beach Edison (22-3). The Artists (22-3) received a strong performance by sophomore Michelle Bray, who won 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

Division III--North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake handed Glendora St. Lucy’s its first loss of the season with a 13-5 victory and took its second consecutive championship. Junior Romy Mehlman won all three sets for the Wolverines (22-3).

Division IV--Pasadena Poly won its second consecutive title by beating Placentia Valencia, 13-5. Poly (21-2) was led by junior Jessica Wilson, who won all three sets.

Division V--Santa Monica Crossroads won in its first trip to the finals, 10-8, over Brentwood. Junior Yasmeen Benjamin won all three sets for the Roadrunners (17-1).