Artists Make It 2 in a Row

Top-seeded Laguna Beach won its second consecutive Southern Section Division V girls’ tennis title and its fifth of the decade with an 11-7 victory over Carpinteria Cate Monday at the Claremont Club.

But it wasn’t long after the Artists (14-8) clinched their second straight finals victory over Cate (18-1) that Laguna Beach Coach Michelle Foster started thinking about the future and the gaping hole in the top of her lineup.

Sophomore Ashley Maddocks, who didn’t lose a game at No. 1 singles, reiterated that she won’t be coming back, opting instead for a tennis academy in Florida.

“That is a sad fact,” Foster said. “The girl knows how to make an entrance and an exit. She wins the Pacific Coast League singles title as a freshman and then she wins 0, 0 and 0 today.”

Maddocks had plenty of help from her fellow singles players. Lindsey Butterwick and Camerin Barron-Sandman each won two sets. Barron-Sandman’s second-round victory over Millary Ng might have been the turning point.

Carpinteria’s Lori Stern had just defeated Butterwick, 6-3, on an adjacent court and Barron-Sandman, a freshman, trailed Ng 4-0. But the freshman became more aggressive and rallied to win the last six games to give Laguna Beach a 7-5 advantage after two rounds.

“My little freshman showed a lot of mental toughness by pulling that set out,” Foster said.

Laguna Beach’s doubles teams also showed some mental toughness with a comeback of their own. After being swept in the first round, they won four of six sets in the last two rounds. Danielle Schulman and Rory Steinle won two at No. 1 doubles, Caitlin McMahon and Meghan MacGillvray and Sabrina Messineo and Caroline Tucker won one each.

“My doubles were a little tight in the first round, but I got them together and told them to relax,” Foster said.

Foster realizes there’s nothing she can do about the trouble she will be in next year at No. 1 singles.

“We want her to stay, but we know that’s selfish on our part,” Foster said. “We know her dreams go a little farther than LBHS tennis. We understand that. But we’ll miss her. She’s a great kid.”