Pirates are ready to charge the nets

Bryce Alderton

Just as Orange Coast College students returned to school with new

classes for the second semester Monday, Janice Maran continued to

tweak with a virtually fresh group of women’s tennis players.

Maran, entering her 26th season at the helm of the Bucs, inherits

just one sophomore from last year’s squad as Coast begins play

Tuesday by visiting Cuyamaca.

The early season brings promise, but also a lot of work for Maran,

who has to assess and decide on the right doubles combinations as

well as determine her singles lineup.

“Our singles will again be fairly strong, but doubles matches are

where matches will be won or lost and we have been working hard on

those,” Maran said.

Returner Ashley Nelson captains the team and will open the season

at No. 1 singles. Nelson played at No. 3 singles and the second

doubles team last season. Freshman Leah Becker from Villa Park High

and Leanna Burmood (Vinyard Christian) will see action at singles and

Maran hopes to mold them into the No. 1 doubles team.

“(Becker) is very aggressive from the backcourt,” Maran said.

Sabrina Tanamal (Western High), Rachel Sessum, Kay Moriyama

(Irvine) and Troy High’s Michelle Wenski add to Coast’s arsenal.

Maran hopes to use Nelson and Tanamal at No. 2 doubles, with the

Sessum-Moriyama team at No. 3.

“(Tanamal) is tiny but tenacious and look for her to be a durable

player,” Maran said. “Sessum improves so quickly. She can take what

you tell her and apply it.”

Moriyama took a tennis class with Maran in the fall.

The coach has been impressed with Moriyama’s ground strokes and

said Wenski, 24, will bring maturity.

“(Wenski) has one more semester, so she decided: what a great way

to finish out with tennis,” Maran said.

Once the players get more comfortable with each other, Maran hopes

to have the top two doubles players mentor their partners.

“When one doubles team player is much stronger than the other one,

it pulls the lesser-strength person along,” Maran said. “In doing so,

you are beefing up the less-experienced players. But I’m not ready to

do that yet. They haven’t played enough together, but, fortunately,

this team is full of great personalities. No one is a headache.”

Last season, OCC sophomores Stephanie Chang and Veronica Sommer

reached the state semifinals in doubles, winning the Orange Empire

Conference crown over a team from Riverside, 6-3, 6-4. Chang was an

All-American in singles and doubles and also won the OEC singles

championship. Chang now plays for the University of San Francisco.

Maran’s teams won state championships in 1984, ‘85, ‘87, ‘88, ’89

and ‘90, as Coast has built a winning tradition.

But first things first.

“We need to get conditioned and get our strategy in doubles,”

Maran said. “Our team will be strong, not overpowering, but I

anticipate a good year.”