Troy advances to tennis quarterfinals

FULLERTON - Troy girls tennis coach Donna Judd said her big guns carried the team Tuesday.

Northwood coach Eric Keith agreed after watching the Warriors get sweeps at No. 1 and 2 singles and No. 1 doubles to beat the Timberwolves, 11-7, in Round 2 of the CIF-SS Division I playoffs at Troy High.

“It was a close match,” Keith said. “It was a lot closer than I thought it would be. We match up well. Their singles is just a little tougher than ours.”

The victory moved the Warriors into the quarterfinals against top-seeded Corona del Mar. The teams meet today at 2 p.m. at Corona del Mar, which won an earlier meeting this season.

“I told my girls let's go play some good tennis,” Judd said. “There's no pressure on us. We've done well this year. I'm pleased.”

Troy and Northwood were set to play Saturday, then again Monday, but the fires postponed it each time. They didn't play in the regular season.

On Tuesday they were tied at 3 after the first round. In Round 2, Troy's doubles team of Gloria Chang and Sally Kim led Northwood's Samantha Greenberg and Emily Randolph, 4-1, in a crucial set. Troy led 6-5 in sets at that point.

Randolph and Greenberg closed to 4-3, but eventually fell, 6-4 and Troy led, 7-5, in sets. The Timberwolves lost two of the three sets that went 6-4.

“We lost those two sets or it might have been tied at nine and it was close on games,” Keith said. “We stepped up in doubles. We were pretty even.”

Troy's top team doubles team of Alison Radde and Stephanie Hui swept, earning three of the five doubles sets Troy won. Northwood's No. 3 team of Sally Hong and Alice Muk surprised by taking two of three sets.

“We thought beforehand it would be a close match,” Judd said. “It happened like we thought it would. Our big guns carried us and we hoped to squeeze out a couple other sets. It worked out perfect.”

In another match Tuesday:

Dana Hills 15, Laguna Beach 3: The second-seeded Dolphins advanced to the semifinals by defeating the Breakers. Dana Hills received sweeps from No. 1 singles player Brynn Boren and No. 1 doubles team of Leyla Simmons and Victoria Wing.

Contact the writer: ctobolski@ocregister.com