CdM remains strong

CORONA DEL MAR — Standing in a huddle, Danielle Kaiden wasn’t too shy about singing and dancing, as the Corona del Mar High girls thought about their traditional pick-me-up chant for another fallen opponent.

This was their first dual-match win of the season, but the Sea Kings usually try to be good sports and shout something about the other team.

So Kaiden broke into a song by Weezer, swaying back and forth, she didn’t care who was looking, “Bev-e-rly Hills, that’s where I want to be,” she sang.

On the other side, the Normans could have probably been hearing a different Weezer tune, and it wasn’t just for after the match, but maybe before their season opener too. It’s called, “Say it ain’t so,” and there might be more than just Beverly Hills listening to it this year.

Despite playing without two of their top singles players, the Sea Kings dominated in doubles and sent the Normans back home with an 11-7 nonleague loss Tuesday.

Hailey Hogan, who would have been a junior for CdM, is no longer at the school, and junior Melissa Matsuoka is out with a strained right wrist for the next two weeks. But the Sea Kings are another level when it comes to doubles. That showed against the Normans, who were swept away when Corona del Mar came at them with two players.

“Our team definitely has a passion for doubles,” said senior Lindsay Zotovich who teamed up with fellow senior Kaiden to record three wins at No. 1 doubles, 6-0, 6-1, 6-1.

The Sea Kings’ doubles strategy is simple, yet the players put the majority of their attention on it to continually improve in doubles.

“I have a distinct strategy, which is one up, one back,” CdM Coach Brian Ricker said. “Three keys: keep the ball in play from the baseline, no double faults and get the returns in. Girls who do that are going to be successful and if we can teach them to volley and be aggressive at the net they can be very successful ... I never have any trouble mixing the partners because they’re all doing the same. And if they’re not, they’re not playing. Here they learn how to play doubles and they go on their tournaments to learn about singles.”

The No. 2 doubles team of Kelli Feeley and Karen Ishii, as well as the No. 3 doubles team of Rebeca Beyer and Azadeh Nazemi also recorded three victories.

The Sea Kings also picked up two wins in singles from freshman Katelyn Nguyen, who was at No. 3.

She closed out the team match with an impressive 6-2 win over Beverly Hills’ No. 1 singles player, senior Marie Zalameda. With Hogan gone and Matsuoka out, most have been expecting Nguyen to be Corona del Mar’s top singles player.

Going against more experienced opponents, Nguyen does not become intimidated. Instead, she uses a nothing-to-lose mentality.

“It doesn’t make me nervous, it makes them more nervous because they have to win,” she said. “I can just try my best and whatever happens, happens. If I lose it’s OK. If I win, it’s better. If they lose it gives them more pressure.”

Nonleague

Corona del Mar 11, Beverly Hills

Singles – Polizois (CdM) lost to Zalameda, 4-6, lost to Brit. Morgan, 1-6, lost to Pisnoy, 2-6; E. Nguyen (CdM) lost, 1-6, 0-6, 0-6; K. Nguyen (CdM) won, 6-2, lost, 3-6, won, 6-1.

Doubles – Kaiden-Zotovich (CdM) def. Bria. Morgan-Werner, 6-0, def. A. Riggins-S. Riggins, 6-1, def. Margolin-Monroy, 6-1; Ishii-Feeley (CdM) won, 6-2, 6-0, 6-0; Beyer-Nazemi won, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2.

STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or by e-mail at [email protected].