Spirited Pirates ready to play

Bryce Alderton

The anticipation surrounding the Orange Coast College women’s tennis

team seems to be contagious.

“I’m excited with them since they are excited,” said Janice Maran,

who is in her 27th year as the Pirates coach. “They can’t wait to get

to practice instead of [saying] ‘Ho-hum, here we go.’ This is a

wonderful group.”

Maran returns three sophomores from a team that went undefeated to

win the Orange Empire Conference championship and advance several

players to the Southern California regional championships last year.

Heading the list is sophomore Leah Becker, who reached the

semifinals of the OEC individuals and teamed with Ashley Nelson to

reach the round of 16 at the Southern California regional

championships.

Returners Sabrina Tanamal and Kai Moriyama join freshmen Leanna

Burmood, Thao Ho, Mika Okamura, Darlena Tran and Jia-Wei Yuh.

Maran is excited about Burmood, who redshirted last year and hails

from Vineyard Christian High in Anaheim.

“I expect Leah to be first or second [in singles] with Leanna

right there in the top two and Sabrina to be next,” Maran said.

Okamura moved to the United States from Japan, but has been

playing tennis for a majority of her life.

“She is a steady player with good footwork and you can tell she

loves to work out,” Maran said. “She can move and she loves to

compete.”

Figuring out the doubles teams will be Maran’s next task as

players improve their conditioning.

The Pirates defeated San Diego Mesa, 9-0, to open the season Feb.

5. Becker, Tanamal and Tran each won two sets in singles, while

Moriyama and Ho won by default.The Pirates play three fewer matches

this year (18) as the state attempts to climb out of its budget hole.

As with all sports in the state, women’s tennis had its playoff

structure trimmed and altered to save additional money.

There will be no Southern California individual regional champion

in singles or doubles.

Play in the regionals will stop after the quarterfinals and will

span two days instead of three. The state team tournament will

feature eight-game pro sets. All matches at the state tournament will

be two sets with a 10-point super tiebreaker (if needed) to decide

the match.

Part of the attempt to save money is limiting teams’ overnight

stays.

Maran opposes the changes, saying a third set should not be

decided on a tiebreaker.

“They figure those who reach the [regional semifinals] would go

into the state tournament ... but it doesn’t allow for the upset,”

Maran said.

Athletic directors and board members from the state’s Commission

on Athletics are scheduled to meet later this year to discuss whether

to continue the restructured system another year.

“Please don’t ask us to use this for too long,” Maran said.

Play will go on, with Saddleback, Riverside and Santa Ana giving

the Pirates all they can handle once conference play begins, Maran

said. OCC begins conference play at Riverside Feb. 24.

“The top two are Riverside and Saddleback and I think Santa Ana

will be one to look at,” Maran said.

“I know these girls will give everything they’ve got to win,”

Maran said.