Foley Searching For Way To Leave Tennis Crossroads : Tennis: UCLA sophomore not happy with her efforts this season.

OJAI —  You wouldn’t know it by looking at her results in the past two years, but UCLA sophomore Cammie Foley is at the crossroads of her tennis career.

Since leaving Bonita Vista High, she has compiled a 41-8 dual-match record, including the single-season record for singles victories by a freshman (24).

One of her eight losses came Thursday to Stanford’s Teri Whitlinger in the opening round of the Pac-10 women’s singles tournament. Foley said the 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, loss is a microcosm of her career.

She had the ground strokes to stay with Whitlinger, the tournament’s second seed, but she lacked a knockout punch.

In Foley’s case, the knockout punch is a good, aggressive serve and an adequate volley.

“If I have those two things, maybe this match would have been different,” Foley said. “My serve has always been my hinderance. I’ve tried to work on it, but it’s always been the bad part of my game.

“So after a while, I’ve said, ‘I don’t want to work on it.’ I’m sick of it. I’d rather hit out and try to win the points from the baseline. I think once I realize I’m not going to go anywhere, I’ll do something about it.”

Playing at No. 5 and 6 singles, Foley says she’s been able to get away with hitting winners from the baseline and lobing in first serves. Foley would like serving and volleying would be outlawed.

“My ground strokes are the favorite part of my game,” she said. “I think it’s a natural thing. I think after doing it so much, you get comfortable with it.

“I’m so used to trying to hit winners from the baseline, even though it’s 10 times harder than taking the ball in air and finishing the point.”

In the first and second sets, Foley was hitting winners. As the match wore on, the pressure seemed to get the best of her. Tied at five games in the second set, Foley had two game points to go ahead, 6-5, but Foley hit forehands long on each occasion.

“I started guiding the ball,” she said. “I wasn’t hitting out like I had been in the first set.”

When Foley took the ball in the air against Whitlinger, she seemed tentative. After a couple netted volleys, she began to rely almost exclusively on her ground strokes.

“I’m always afraid to try and volley,” she said. “I tell myself, ‘I don’t want to do that, but I know I have to.’ It’s really frustrating.”

But along with the frustration, Foley said there was some satisfaction in the close loss to Whitlinger.

“Even though I lost, I’m happy with how I played her,” she said. “It wasn’t given to her. She had to work for it and that makes me happy. I hung in there and competed.”

Sheila McInerney, Arizona State’s coach, says she’s always seen some confidence in Foley’s game. Three years ago, McInerney recruited Foley.

“She’s always been ranked in the juniors and she’s always been a winner,” McInerney said.

Although McInerney admits Foley’s serve could improve, she’s not no sure her entire game needs to be revamped.

“She’s a tough person to read,” McInerney said. “She’s more of a laid-back player. But the way she hits the ball, so flat and heavy, she tends to dictate play. It’s not easy playing someone like that.”

Tennis Notes

The following are local players who advanced in the 92nd Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament: In the Boys’ 14s singles, Andrew Evans (Rancho Santa Fe), Alejandro Hernandez (San Diego) and John Phillips (Rancho Santa Fe). . .

In the girls’ 14s, Marisa Velasco (Chula Vista), Elena Gold (La Jolla), Candice Donahoe (San Diego) and Torey Pratt (Rancho Santa Fe) . . . In the boys’ 16, Taryn Burgk (Del Mar), Jonathon Gilula (La Jolla) and James Conda (La Jolla) . . . In boys’ 16s doubles, Allan Jurlina and Jerry Prior of Bonita . . . In girls’ 16s singles, Summer Redondo of Coronado, Molly Gavin of Escondido, Betsy Miringoff of La Costa, Marybeth Maggart of San Diego and Vanessa Rooks, Spring Valley.

In girls’ 18s singles, LeeAnn Rostovsky, La Jolla, Sasha Boros, Poway and Karen Costi, San Diego all won twice and advanced to the third round . . . In girls’ 18s doubles, Tasha Muto and Carrie Clark, San Diego . . . In boys’ interscholastic singles, James Conda, La Jolla High, Jonathan Elsberry, La Jolla High, Paul Corona, USDHS, Joe Tontz, USDHS, each won twice and advanced to the third round . . . In boys’ interscholastic doubles, Chris Tontz and Joe Barbarie, USDHS, won twice and advanced to the third round.