Tennis Tops LACES in League Opener

While Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies might just have the best individual player in the Western League, demonstrated Wednesday why it is regarded as the best team.

Palisades' depth overwhelmed the Unicorns throughout a dominating 6-1 victory in the Dolphins' first league match at the . Even with two key starters sitting out, the Dolphins still had more than enough firepower to handle visiting LACES in the City Section's head-to-head, straight-up format. 

Drawing the day's toughest assignment for the Dolphins was senior Jessie Corneli, who was matched against last season's City Section Individual runner-up Yvonne Likomanova at No. 1 singles. Corneli had won two out of three sets in Palisades' season-opening tie at Mira Costa, but lost 8-0 Wednesday despite changing her tactics several times to find the right formula against her formidable opponent.

"I try to stick to my game, but she was hitting with pace to keep me back so I couldn't move her around," said Corneli, a four-year singles starter who reached the quarterfinals of the City Individual draw last season. "Sometimes playing the No. 1 position you feel more pressure to go out and prove yourself. We're also trying to get as many spots as we can for Individuals so I really wanted to win."  

Ninth-grader Jesse Zand played No. 2 singles for Palisades and won despite some confusion about the score during the changeover after the 11th game. It was finally determined that Zand was ahead 7-4, not 6-5, and she proceeded to close out the set.

"I give her credit for coming back—she was pounding the ball," said Zand, who built a 6-1 lead. "I just played my game. She liked to give me drop shots so I attacked those."

The Dolphins swept the doubles, dropping only three games in the process. Julie Takakjian and Perri Zaret, who had played with other partners against Mira Costa, paired up to blank the Unicorns' Laura Schulberg and Claire Koffman 8-0. 

"It's fun playing with Julie because our games complement each other well," said Zaret, the Dolphins' senior captain who had taken two out of three doubles sets with Zand against Mira Costa. "With my serve, Julie likes to poach and that seemed to work. I normally play singles but the team comes first and I'll do whatever is best for the team."

"This is our first league match playing together," added Takakjian, whose older sister Katie (now at UCLA) graduated in the spring after an undefeated senior season at No. 2 doubles with fellow senior Charlotte Farrant. "Perri is an amazing player and hits really good returns. The plan for now is to keep us together, which is great. We make a good team."    

Emily Wettleson and Melody Wilkenfeld, who played No. 3 doubles against Mira Costa, played No. 2 against LACES, defeating Bari Scott and Denisha Selma 8-3. 

"We were so ecstatic when we tied Mira Costa because it showed us that if we can tie them, we can beat any team we play," Wettleson said. "Some teammates were saying the team we played [at No. 2] was actually better than the No. 1 team."  

Perhaps the most amazing feat of the afternoon was the swiftness with which junior Annie Gingold and sophomore Lauren Sedmak dispatched LACES twins Lilac and Dahlia Peterson at No. 3 doubles. Coach Sean Passan said it took the Palisades duo only 18 minutes to win the pro set. Gingold and Sedmak both went to Paul Revere Middle School and were partners on JV last season. 

"I'm the net person and she stays back," Gingold said. "Our strategy was to slice it down the middle of the court."

"We have fun playing together, especially playing on varsity" Sedmak added. "Except that it didn't last very long."

Junior Katie Pfannkuche blanked Whitney Kim 8-0 at No. 3 singles.

"I've grown to prefer doubles because I like having a friend to depend on, so I was shocked to be playing singles today," said Pfannkuche, who went to . "I saw after the first few games that she could handle the power but not so much moving around, so I started hitting it from side to side."

The absence of singles players Katie Vincent and Diana Silvers gave Izzy Guterson a chance to crack the varsity lineup and the freshman made the most of her opportunity with an 8-1 triumph at No. 4.

"I was nervous at the beginning but once I started getting a good lead I was okay," said Guterson, who was at Paul Revere Middle School last year. "I tried to run her around and she was making a lot of mistakes. I wanted to just be consistent."

Zaret believes Palisades' ultimate goal of a section title will keep complacency from setting in.

"We're a really modest team, we're focused on the end goal... and that's winning the championship," she said. "I think this is our year and we have a great chance to do it."

MATCH SUMMARY

Palisades 6, LACES 1

SINGLES

(1) Jessie Corneli, Palisades, lost to Yvonne Likomanova, 8-0.

(2) Jesse Zand, Palisades, d. Liz Linfield, 8-4.

(3) Katie Pfannkuche, Palisades, d. Whitney Kim, 8-0.

(4) Izzy Guterson, Palisades, d. Zoe Spezzano, 8-1.

DOUBLES

(1) Julie Takakjian-Perri Zaret, Palisades, d. Laura Schulberg-Claire Kauffman, 8-0.

(2) Emily Wettleson-Melody Wilkenfeld, Palisades, d. Bari Scott-Denisha Selma, 8-3.

(3) Annie Gingold-Lauren Sedmak, Palisades, d. Lilac Peterson-Dahlia Peterson, 8-0.

Records: LACES 1-1, 1-1; Palisades 1-0-1, 1-0.

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