Gamers

Tony Altobelli

It’s not the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs, but it will

have to do.

The Corona del Mar High girls tennis team, unbeaten at 3-0 and ranked

No. 1 in Orange County, take on the defending Division I champion

Peninsula High today at 2 p.m. on the road.

A CdM win today would take some of the sting off of last year’s 13-5

loss to the Panthers in the Division I semifinals a year ago.

A CdM win would also put a major sting on those who passed last year’s

sanction of not allowing lower-division schools to move up in the

playoffs to face tougher competition. Because of this, CdM will have to

play in the Division IV playoffs, while Peninsula stays in Division I.

The Panthers have won nine CIF titles in the past 10 years and are on

top of the prep tennis mountain, but CdM could be one match away from

being the new “team to beat.”

Sophomore Anne Yelsey dominated the Panthers in last year’s

semifinals, sweeping her three sets, 6-1, 6-0, 6-4. She’ll have to do

that again for CdM to have hopes of knocking off the Panthers.

The biggest factor in last year’s contest was the dominant doubles

play of the Panthers, winning all nine sets from CdM. With only one

Peninsula player gone from last year’s squad, Coach Andy Stewart knows

his hands are full.

Here’s today’s sports menu:

The Newport Harbor girls tennis squad (2-1) will host Los Alamitos at

3 in a nonleague tilt, host Costa Mesa and Foothill square off for a 3

p.m. girls tennis match and Estancia takes on the Cypress-based Oxford

Academy at 3:15.

In field hockey, Newport Harbor (3-0) will host Santa Ana at 3:15 at

Harper School (18th Street and Tustin) in Costa Mesa.

Both Estancia and Costa Mesa’s girls volleyball teams will be on the

road for nonleague action. The Eagles play at Tustin at 3:15, while the

Mustangs take on Savanna, also at 3:15.

Estancia’s boys water polo team will host Savanna at 3:15, while Costa

Mesa travels to Independence Park for a 7 p.m. matchup with Sunny Hills.

Newport Harbor’s girls golf team will compete at Big Canyon Country

Club at 2:30 to play the first nine holes of its match with Esperanza.

Estancia’s girls golfers will take on Long Beach Millikan at Costa

Mesa Golf and Country Club’s Mesa Linda Course at 3:15.

In collegiate action:

The Orange Coast College men’s soccer team, unbeaten in its first

seven games (4-0-3) will host L.A. Harbor at 3 in nonconference action.

The Vanguard University women’s soccer team will play at The Master’s

College at 3, while the Lions women’s volleyball team plays at Cal

Baptist University tonight at 7.