San Clemente knocked out of playoffs by Campbell Hall

SAN CLEMENTE - San Clemente's girls tennis team was swept in singles and lost to visiting Campbell Hall, 17-1, on Saturday in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs.

“We played this team two years ago in the playoffs and it was a hard-fought match,” said Tritons coach John Stephens before the match. “But all I want is the girls to play hard and have fun.”

The Tritons finished the season with an 11-9 record.

Sophia Bott, who is ranked 42nd nationally and the Tritons' No. 1 singles player, fought through two tough matches.

Bott played the Vikings’ No. 1 singles player, Sarah Lee, in her first set. Bott served an ace to make it deuce, but volleyed a tough drop shot into the net and Lee took the lead, 1-0. After some long rallies, Lee led, 3-0.

Bott fired herself up and rallied back to win the next two games after hitting a precise forehand winner down the line. However, Bott was serving while down triple-break point, and her forehand sailed wide to give Lee the set, 6-2.

After the Vikings (15-0) won their first three single matches, Bott played freshman Alexis Pereria, who is ranked 14th in the state in girls 14 and under.

The match went back and forth as each player covered every inch of the court with great hustle and powerful forehands and backhands. At 30-40 in the third game, Bott hit a deep volley that touched the baseline, and Pereria returned it with a backhand toward the right baseline. Bott hustled and leaned her racket into the shot for a cross-court winner and lead, 2-1.

Bott was up 4-3, but she double-faulted on Pereria’s advantage and tied the game at 4-4. Pereria hit a winner down the line after a soft return and won the set, 6-4.

The Tritons’ No. 1 doubles team of M.J. Boud and Hannah Foerstel won their match against the Vikings' No. 3 doubles team, 6-1. Foerstel slammed an overhead winner to give them a triple-break point lead in the fourth game. On the next point, Boud hit a winner that caught the edge of the baseline.

Campbell Hall will play at Thousand Oaks in the third round of the playoffs on Tuesday.