Camarillo Singles Out Crescenta Valley, 13-5

A dispute in a doubles set caused a 20-minute delay in a Southern Section Division I first-round playoff match Thursday between Camarillo and Crescenta Valley at Camarillo High.

But there was no arguing with the Scorpions’ superiority in singles, where Camarillo swept nine sets en route to a 13-5 victory over the Falcons.

“We always hope to sweep singles,” said Erin Jones, Camarillo’s No. 2 player. “That’s our strength and one of our goals every match.”

The Pacific View League champion Scorpions (14-5) won five of six sets in each of the first two rounds of the round-robin competition.

Crescenta Valley (12-5), the second-place team from the Pacific League, was more competitive, but things were more contentious, in doubles.

A first-round set between Camarillo’s No. 1 team of Annie Doud and Jenny Underwood and Crescenta Valley’s top team of Christy Lee and Haas Wu was slowed by Lee’s contention that Underwood illegally switched from her forehand to her backhand side of the court while receiving serve.

The argument was brought to coaches Chad Pridgen of Camarillo and Tom Gossard of Crescenta Valley, and a lengthy impasse ensued before Doud and Underwood went on to win the set, 7-6 (7-5).

Several line calls by players were disputed, and Gossard demanded a Camarillo doubles team sitting courtside while waiting for its next set to begin be asked to leave before another set was begun.

“It’s a case of our girls’ word against theirs’,” Gossard said. “This is why these matches need to be administrated and officiated just like any other sports event.”