Newport Harbor Gets Victory

Which is the top girls’ tennis team in the county?

After Newport Harbor’s 10-8 victory over host Woodbridge Thursday, the answer to that question probably won’t come until the season ends and the cream of the Sea View League rises to the top.

Newport Harbor (12-1, 4-1) was ranked No. 1 before losing to third-ranked Corona del Mar (12-1, 4-1) on Tuesday. Second-ranked Woodbridge (12-2, 4-1) fell from the unbeaten league ranks with its loss to Newport Harbor. Last week, Woodbridge defeated Corona del Mar. All the victories were by the same margin, 10-8.

Are you confused yet?

“I don’t know,” Newport Harbor Coach Fletcher Olson said, “but I would say the Sea View League is No. 1 in the county.”

Woodbridge Coach Joan Willett agrees.

“You can’t differentiate between the teams at this point in time,” Willett said. “That’s what makes it fun. We have to wait until the second half of the season.”

In the Sailors’ victory Thursday, doubles play was the key. Willett had to juggle the Warriors’ lineup with Danielle Hustedt, one of their top doubles players, out because of tonsillitis.

“We played with three new doubles teams today,” Willett said. “I was really pleased with their performance, since only one team has played together before.”

Woodbridge took a 4-2 lead in the first round, picking up two of three doubles sets, but after that, doubles belonged to Newport Harbor, which won five of the six remaining matches and tied the score at 6-6 after the second round.

Newport Harbor got its strongest performance in doubles from the undefeated tandem of Emily Barker and Brooke Taylor. Barker and Taylor, 27-0 on the season, swept their Woodbridge opponents, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4. Erika Palm and Audra Adams helped seal the victory, finishing the day 6-2, 6-1, 2-6.

In other Sea View League matches:

Corona del Mar 16, Santa Margarita 2--In singles, Nina Vaughan swept, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2; Nadia Vaughan won, 6-1, 6-3, 6-4, and Caylan Leslie won, 6-2, 7-6, 6-3, for third-ranked Corona del Mar (12-1, 4-1). Santa Margarita is 6-5, 2-3.

Irvine 12, El Toro 6--Sarah Denson swept at No. 1 singles, 7-5, 6-1, 6-0, in a victory for Irvine (1-4).