CdM sends Mater Dei packing

Bryce Alderton

The Corona del Mar High girls tennis team wrapped up Mater Dei’s

season in a tight package and sent the host Monarchs into the

off-season, not to be opened again until next fall.

The Sea Kings, on the other hand, remained on their journey

through the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs, dispensing of

the previously undefeated Monarchs, 13-5, in a quarterfinal match

Tuesday at the Los Caballeros Sports Village. The Sea Kings (15-4)

have won 12 matches in a row and avenged a 10-8 loss to the Monarchs

(18-1) in September.

CdM didn’t have seniors Brittany Holland, the Pacific Coast League

singles champion, and Juliette Mutzke, for the September match, but

the duo showed up in fine form Tuesday, contributing five of CdM’s 13

wins. Mutzke and freshman doubles partner Jillian Braverman lost just

four games in sweeping, while Holland took two of three sets.

Junior Jami Steele and freshman Hayley Young swept at No. 1

doubles for CdM, while the duo of senior Jackie Manning and freshman

Miranda Young, Hayley’s twin sister, won two of three sets. Rachael

Miller claimed one set, while freshman Jill Damion won two sets

before Michelle Atkins replaced her in the third round. CdM won the

match after the second round, leading, 10-2, subduing Coach Scott

Feichter’s initial nerves.

“Is there anyone out here who is not nervous? I don’t think so,”

Feichter said during the first set.

Damion’s first- and second-round matches lasted the longest out of

the remaining five, but the freshman maintained her poise. Damion

beat Michelle Murphy, a friend whom she often practices with, 6-3, in

the second round to give CdM the deciding 10th point.

“[In the previous match this year] I lost, 6-4, [to Murphy] so I

wasn’t going to lose this time. I had to beat her,” Damion said. “She

is really good and hits the ball hard. I had to wait for her to miss

and have an easy ball to put away.”

Feichter moved Damion to singles toward the end of the regular

season and she seems to have adjusted comfortably.

“This type of match could make things good for you. It could make

your future,” Feichter said of Damion’s victory over Murphy.

Damion received additional motivation from Brett Hansen-Dent,

stepbrother of former CdM standout Taylor Dent, a three-time singles

champion on the Association of Tennis Professionals tour this year

who is ranked 32nd. Damion and Murphy both hit balls with

Hansen-Dent, who watched Damion in a CdM match for the first time

this fall.

“He’s not supposed to cheer for either one of us in the fear that

the other one might hurt him,” Damion said jokingly.

Despite the loss, the laughs and smiles will continue for Mater

Dei, Coach Richard Berman said.

“It was a tough one today,” Berman said. “We had confidence off of

beating Mission Viejo [in the first round] and endured a tough match

Saturday [against Mira Costa] that was back and forth the whole way.

We took that emotion and tried to turn another upset, but it wasn’t

in our favor.

“CdM is experienced. We lost, but I still think we are a better

team. We stand united always.”

But the Sea Kings are the ones moving on to Thursday’s semifinals

against top-seeded Peninsula.

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CIF Southern Section Division I Quarterfinal

CdM 13, Mater Dei 5

Singles -- Holland (CdM) def. Van Oppen, 6-1, def. Bullock, 6-1, lost to Murphy, 5-7; (sub) Atkins (CdM) lost, 2-6, Damion (CdM) won, 6-4, 6-3; Miller (CdM) won, 6-1, lost, 1-6, 1-6.

Doubles -- Steele-H. Young (CdM) def. Devaney-Nguyen, 6-1, def. Velasco-Zamucen, 6-0, def. Grandstaff-Van’t Hof, 6-3; Braverman-Mutzke (CdM) won, 6-2, 6-2, 6-0; Manning-M. Young (CdM) won, 6-2, 7-5, lost, 4-6.

*--*