The Arroyo Grande High girls tennis team defeated visiting Aliso Niguel 17-1 in the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 semifinals Wednesday.
In singles, Sophie Whittle swept 6-1, 6-1, 6-0, Lauren Hayashi swept 6-1, 6-2, 6-0, and the Eagles (20-1) will advance to the Division 3 championship match Friday in Claremont.
“This was probably (the team’s) best performance as a whole all season,” Arroyo Grande coach Lori Hollister said. “They started so much stronger than they did Monday. They were just on fire.”
The Eagles had their closest call of the playoffs Monday, an 11-7 quarterfinal victory over Capistrano Valley where Arroyo Grande struggled early before finding its form. In the opening round of the playoffs, the Eagles defeated La Reina 17-1 and then blasted Oakwood 18-0.
The second-seeded Eagles will meet Laguna Hills in the championship match.
Laguna Hills knocked off top seed Malibu 11-7 in Wednesday’s other semifinal.
“The entire team showed up today to compete and sustained a high level of tennis throughout the match,” Hollister said.
The Eagles swept doubles play, highlighted by the teams of Melina Rodgers and Joanne Phung, which won 7-5, 6-2, 6-0, and Alexis Flood and Chelsea Pudwill, which won 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.
“This was not an easy opponent,” Hollister said. “There were some great points played out there. I just think our girls stepped it up out there. I think our girls know what it takes.”
Alex Mero fell 6-2 in her first singles set for Arroyo Grande but rallied with 6-4, 7-5 wins.
The doubles team of Amber Domako and Zoe Miller won both of its sets 7-6 (11-9), 6-0 for the Eagles.
“I can’t imagine our girls coming out onto the court any more united as a team from the start than they did today,” Hollister said. “They are well prepared for the finals.”
