GAME, SET, MATCH: Pali High Girls Tennis Tops Granada Hills in City Finals for Fourth Straight Year

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

They were the last ones on the court last Thursday, but Alex Miller and Kate Harrington had the last laugh in the City Section Division I girls tennis final at Balboa Sports Center in Encino.

Palisades High’s pair showed nerves of steel in beating Granada Hills’ Ada Hu and Jennifer Parandian, 6-2, 6-4, at No. 3 doubles to clinch the Dolphins’ 5-2 victory and fourth straight City title.

“We told each other to play as if it was going to come down to us,” said Miller, a sophomore. “We know how to calm each other  down and we tried to be consistent and play our game. It was definitely essential to get it over with when we did.”

After she and her partner broke at love to take a 5-4 lead in the second set, Harrington, a freshman whose older brother Jack won City with the Pali High boys team in the spring, hit a service winner on match point.

“I wasn’t trying to think about what was happening with anyone else or whether we were winning,” said Harrington, who played volleyball, track and tennis at St. Matthew’s. “On a changeover at the beginning of the second set, coach told me the score. My brother was watching on and off so I’m sure he knew the situation, too.”

It was the teams’ sixth straight  meeting in the finals and for a change the Dolphins were not prohibitive favorites. Four of their best players last fall unexpectedly didn’t return this season, leaving a  roster without its usual depth.

As has been the case more often than not throughout its storied history, however, Palisades managed to come through in the clutch to capture its 24th section title.    

Palisades advanced to the CIF Southern California Regional tournament at The Claremont Club, where the Dolphins face Campbell Hall in the first round Friday at 12:15. The winner plays either Westview or Corona del mar in the semifinals later Friday and the final is Saturday at 1:30.

On Thursday, the battle at No. 1 singles pitted Palisades’ Caroline Goldberg (third at City Individuals last season) against fellow sophomore Rena Lin, ranked in the top 20 in Southern California in the 18-and-under division.

Lin started slow but won 6-3, 6-2 to keep her perfect record against City opponents intact.

“I played her in a USTA tournament two years ago but not in City,” Lin said. “This was important to me because I’ve watched my team work so hard to get here.”

Senior captain Calypso Peraticos started the Dolphins on their way to victory with a 6-1, 6-4 win at No. 2 singles.

“I’d do anything for this team, I’ve put my blood, sweat and tears into it and I’m so proud of everyone… this is so much bigger than last year,” said Peraticos, who was hugged and thanked repeatedly by teammates who praised her for her leadership. “Losing so many players before the season even started was a shock to the system. Everyone had to move up three or four spots and we didn’t know how things would turn out in the end, but looking back I wouldn’t have it any other way. As far as competitive tennis, this is it for me so losing was not an option.”

Alex Hart and partner Maddy Goore dug out of an 0-3 hole in the second set to win, 6-4, 7-5, at No. 2 doubles and Gigi Feingold teamed with Caroline Ross to defeat Granada Hills’ Cassidy Pedraza and Shalini Vijayekumar, 7-5, 7-5,  at the No. 1 spot, pushPalisades to the brink of victory.

Taylor Barfield made the final margin more convincing by pulling out a 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5) win at No. 4 singles. Freshman Sophia Arvin gained valuable experience  despite falling to Granada Hills’ No. 3 singles player Megan Kim, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5.

“This is one of the most gratifying of all because I had to push this team harder than any team I’ve ever had,” Pali High Coach Bud Kling said after booking his 41st City title (24 boys, 17 girls) since 1979. “We had seven new starters but I think the Fresno trip galvanized us. The girls went up  there as JVs and subs and came back as varsity players.”