Dolphins Win the One That Got Away

At the beginning of the school year, Dana Hills Coach John Stephens asked the players on his girls’ tennis team whether they wanted to move up to Division I this season. They voted to stay in Division II.

“The kids decided they’d like to give it one more try this year,” said Stephens, whose team lost to Palm Desert in last year’s final. “They wanted to win it all this year.”

And win they did, easily defeating Mater Dei, 14-4, in the Southern Section Division II final Monday at the Claremont Club.

It’s possible Dana Hills (24-1) would have won the Division I title.

In the regular season, the Dolphins defeated three of the four Division I semifinalists, losing only to champion Corona del Mar, 10-8. They defeated Palos Verdes Peninsula, 10-8, Woodbridge, 12-6, and Newport Harbor, 17-1.

“They are definitely competitive in Division I,” Mater Dei Coach Cindy Nolan said. “But we aren’t bitter. I completely understand wanting to give the girls an opportunity to win it all.”

In their run through the playoffs, the Dolphins outscored their opponents, 81-9, in sets.

“They were hungry from last year,” Stephens said. “They thought they let it get away.”

It was the third time the Dolphins had faced the Monarchs (16-6) this season, with the final score the same in each match.

In Monday’s final, Dana Hills won eight of nine doubles sets and six of nine in singles.

In doubles, seniors Margaux Pierog and Lauren Richardson put away their opponents, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1. Juniors Amy Trankino and Brook Calton duplicated those scores. Junior Christie Manning and freshman Chelsey Thompson won, 6-2, 6-2, 3-6.

Mater Dei sophomore Melissa Esmero handed Dana Hills its only losses in singles, as she swept, 6-2, 7-5, 6-4.

“The kids definitely came through. All year long they have risen to the occasion,” Stephens said. “It is difficult to beat a team three times. We prepared them for that. And I think our experience from last year helped too. We knew if we played at the level we were capable of, we just have too much depth.”

The Dolphins, who Stephens said will definitely move up to Division I next season, will graduate three seniors this year: singles player Summer Tantee and Pierog and Richardson.

Summer Tantee finished 5-7, 6-2, 6-3, and her freshman sister Amberly went 2-6, 7-5, 6-4. Sophomore Kate Romm finished 4-6, 6-1, 6-0.

Mater Dei will lose only two players to graduation, Kristen Hoppe and Sarah Luckey, who won the only doubles set for the Monarchs on Monday.