Dana Hills' doubles plan helps bring home title

CLAREMONT – The formula for a Division 1 CIF-SS title was the same for Dana Hills and University. One team was going to have to puncture a hole in the other's strength, and a quick blow from Dana Hills had University playing uphill the rest of the way.

Behind two key doubles victories, the third-seeded Dolphins won the school's third CIF-SS title, 10-8, on Monday at the Claremont Club.

"The doubles play was huge," Dana Hills coach Justin Green. "They stepped up big today."

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OCVaristy Hot Shots: CIF tennis championships

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After the final match, No. 1 singles player, junior Alyssa Smith and No. 1 doubles junior Cassidy Spearman skipped their way to the trophy presentation, overcome with joy.

"We're pumped," Smith said, unable to hide a big smile.

In a battle between fourth-seeded University's stellar doubles and Dana's tough singles, the Dolphins struck first, with Spearman and Jacqueline Stewart defeating University's No. 1 doubles, 6-4.

"It was the game plan to win at least one or two doubles. That was all we really needed," Spearman said. "We knew their doubles were really strong, and me and Jacqueline were pumped and ready to play."

University needed to try and win points in singles. Playing without freshman standout Yuki Asami, who was in Japan for a funeral, the Trojans still managed to get victories from seniors Kyra Scott and Shayna Becker. But the three losses in doubles, including two at the hands of Spearman and Stewart, cost University its first girls tennis CIF-SS championship.

"We know what to expect, and we just had to let it play out," University coach John Kessler said. "And they (Stewart and Spearman) did an awesome job. They were stars."

Dana also got star performances from Smith and Jessica Perez, who won all six of their singles sets. Smith, who has struggled the past two years as Dana Hills has fallen short in the finals, rebounded to win each of her three sets 6-0.

"I was super excited. The last two years, I haven't played well, and I feel like if I had played better, maybe we'd have won one or two," Smith said. "I felt like I never brought my best on finals day, and I wanted to play my best today.

"No way I was going to let it happen three years in a row."

Contact the writer: dwoicke@ocregister.co,