Laguna girls’ tennis remains strong

The Laguna Beach High girls’ tennis program is coming off a Final Four appearance last year and begins a new season without four all-league performers but again will put a talented and experienced group out on the courts in 2015.

The Breakers last year won an Orange Coast League championship for a fourth consecutive year (40-0 league record) under fifth-year head Coach Don Davis, and played into the final week of the season by reaching the semifinal round of the CIF Southern Section Division 2 semifinals. Ten players, including five all-league performers, from that team return this fall.

Graduated from the roster are first-team all-league singles players Summer Dvorak and Kira Hamilton, and first-team doubles players Bailey Jaeger and Madeline Loomis. Last year, Dvorak won the OCL singles title and Loomis teamed with returning player Ashley Shelton to win the league doubles title.

Dvorak went undefeated during the regular season and reached the CIF-SS individual final last year. She is now on scholarship at Vanderbilt University. The Commodores won the 2015 NCAA Division 1 women’s tennis championship.

“Although we lost some key starters, we should have a balanced team in both singles and doubles, and we still have considerable experience in our returning players,” Davis said. “The team did a great job last season in reaching the semifinals of Division 2. Although we have lost four starters, and an irreplaceable player in Summer Dvorak, our team is confident, and believes that we can qualify to CIF, and repeat last season’s success.”

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Girls’ Tennis

League: Orange Coast

CIF Division: Division 2

Head coach: Don Davis (5th year)

Coaching staff: Rick Gephardt (junior varsity coach); Todd Granius (assistant coach).

2014 record: 20-6

2014 league record/finish: 10-0 (champion)

2014 CIF playoff results: Reached semifinal round

2015 team: *Iman Berri, Sr.; Jessalyn Chaney, Fr.; *Summer Clawson, Jr.; Danielle Conklin, Jr.; *Taylor Corrigan, Soph.; Nicole Davidson, Jr.; *Ashley Fair, Sr.; Lina Gleizer, Soph.; *Malia Helms, Sr.; *Natasha Keces, Sr.; *Kelly Keller, Sr.; *Kathleen Kimball, Jr.; Megan Mindte, Fr.; *Ashley Shelton, Sr.; Chloe Stuart, Jr.; *Brigette Thomas, Sr. (*denotes returning varsity player).

Returning with honors: Ashley Fair, Sr., second-team all-league singles; First-team all-league doubles: Kelly Keller, Soph.; Ashley Shelton, Sr.; Natasha Keces, Sr.; Malia Helms, Sr.

Coach’s take: “We have a great mix of returning players and new players who are enthusiastic about playing,” Davis said. “Tennis is an individual sport that does not always do well in a team format, since players train year round in order to excel which often creates a culture of individualism and self-centeredness. However, we have a great group of individuals who embrace the concept of team in a distinctly individual sport, and for this reason, I expect them to do well as a whole. Our co-captains are Natasha Keces, and Ashley Shelton, and they are great leaders and respected by their teammates.”

Summer season: “Participation was optional yet it became obvious quite early on that the 11 incoming freshmen are a close-knit group which, unfortunately, is not always the case, yet will greatly enhance the JV and varsity teams.”

The schedule: “Our nonleague schedule is very challenging, as we play several top CIF Division I teams, yet this should challenge us, improve us, and prepare us, as we head into the season ending playoffs,” Davis said.

Team tidbits: Davis said the Breakers will playing home games at 3 p.m. at Alta Laguna Park in Laguna Beach for a majority of the season, “until the renovation of the high school courts is completed.”

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Breakers Schedule

Wednesday: at JSerra (scrimmage), 3 p.m.

Thursday: at Mission Viejo, 3 p.m.

Sept. 9: San Clemente, 3 p.m.

Sept. 10: San Juan Hills, 3 p.m.

Sept. 15: at Chino Hills, 3 p.m.

Sept. 16: Mater Dei, 3 p.m.

Sept. 21: El Toro, 3 p.m.

Sept. 22: *Costa Mesa, 3 p.m.

Sept. 24: *Godinez, 3 p.m.

Sept. 28: Aliso Niguel, 3 p.m.

Sept. 29: at *Calvary Chapel, 3 p.m.

Oct. 1: *Estancia, 3 p.m.

Oct. 5: Beckman, 3 p.m.

Oct. 6: *Saddleback, 3 p.m.

Oct. 8: at *Costa Mesa, 3 p.m.

Oct. 12: at Santa Margarita, 3:15 p.m.

Oct. 13: at *Godinez, 3 p.m.

Oct. 15: *Calvary Chapel, 3 p.m.

Oct. 19: at Sage Hill, 3:15 p.m.

Oct. 20: at *Estancia, 3 p.m.

Oct. 22: at *Saddleback, 3 p.m.

Oct. 28: League prelims, 2 p.m.

Oct. 29: League finals, 3 p.m.

(*denotes Orange Coast League match)