SOUTHERN SECTION TENNIS : Freudenberg Advances to Semifinals

El Modena’s Brandi Freudenberg played inspired and focused tennis, while Valencia’s Jenny Gonzales and Mater Dei’s Laura Ruben played as if they would rather be doing something else.

Freudenberg reached the Southern Section individual semifinals for the second time in three years with a dominating 6-3, 6-1 quarterfinal victory Thursday over the fourth-seeded Gonzales, who had not dropped a set all season. Freudenberg was the only Orange County singles player to reach the semifinals at the Irvine Racquet Club. The third-seeded Ruben lost to Monique Allegre of Camarillo, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, in the quarterfinals, and Villa Park’s Faye DeVera lost to Beverly Hills’ Violette Ahn, 6-3, 7-5, in the round of 16.

Freudenberg, a junior, will play top-seeded Amanda Augustus of Palos Verdes Peninsula in the semifinals at 9 this morning.

“I wanted it bad,” said Freudenberg, who recently lost in round of 16 at the girls’ 16s USTA National Indoors. “I wanted to get back to the semifinals and show people I could play.”

Gonzales, who beat Freudenberg three weeks ago in the Fullerton Tournament, seemed convinced.

“She wanted it more than I did,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales, who had been sick for the past two weeks, looked lethargic from the start as she lost her first two service games and committed several unforced errors.

“I don’t even think I was thinking out there when I played a point,” said Gonzalez, who had not lost more four games in a set all season. “I didn’t even fight like I usually do. I didn’t even run.”

Freudenberg had plenty to do with Gonzales’ apathetic mood. She moved Gonzales around the court with drop shots and surprised Gonzales by sneaking into the net when Gonzales least expected it.

“I played her all wrong the last time,” Freudenberg said. “This time I mixed it up and tried not to come in too fast. I was more patient and picked my spots better.”

Ruben, who also had not lost a set until Friday, struggled in her round-of-16 match, taking 2 1/2 hours to beat Pilar Montgomery of Santa Barbara, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. Then, she had to play Allegre, who had been sitting for 90 minutes.

Ruben, who spent much of the week in bed with a cold, said she simply didn’t have the energy to stay with Allegre.

“I’m pretty happy with what I did,” said Ruben, a junior. “To actually be here for the match is an accomplishment.”

DeVera, a freshman, finished fast but not fast enough. She fell behind Ahn, 6-3, 5-2, then won three consecutive games with an attacking, aggressive style. But once she caught Ahn, also a freshman, DeVera lost the next two games and the match.

“I made it back but I didn’t follow through with it, DeVera said. “I didn’t play the same game ahead as I did when I was behind.”

In doubles play, Newport Harbor’s second-seeded team of Mara Colaizzi narrowly escaped being upset by Santa Barbara’s Leanne Biehl and Cindy Brumfield in the quarterfinals. They survived two match points before winning, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, and becoming the Orange County doubles team to advance into today’s 9 a.m. semifinals.