Girls Tennis Seeks to Stay on Top

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Having achieved a rare triple crown by sweeping the City Section team, singles and doubles titles last season, the Palisades High girls tennis squad was hoping to duplicate the feat this fall.

Not so fast. The unexpected departure of several starters will make the Dolphins’ quest for a fourth straight team title more difficult, but senior captain Calypso Peraticos is embracing the challenge.

“I’m not super phased by it,” said Peraticos, who reached the City individual singles final and won more matches than any player on the team last season. “The first thing I’ve tried to do is get rid of the negative attitude–make everyone believe we can still win City. Everyone will have to step up, but if that happens it will mean so much more.”   

Two-time City Individual doubles champions Madeline Prins and Lizzie Belokonnyi and singles player Morgan Swan graduated in the spring while twin sisters Sophia and Ireland Amato, Caroline Vincent (who won the Individual singles title as a sophomore last year) and Abby Schleichkorn decided not to return.

Anchoring the singles lineup with Peraticos will be sophomore Caroline Goldberg, who played No. 1 singles most of last season.

“I really expected to have to fight for my spot this season, so I’ve been playing a lot and my serve has really improved,” Taylor Barfield said. “I played an equal amount of singles and doubles over the summer so I’ll fill in wherever. It’s definitely going to be more intense.”

The Dolphins open the season Tuesday against Marymount (varsity at the Palisades Tennis Center at 2:30, JV at Rancho Park at 3:30). Their nonleague schedule includes matches against Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Westlake, Santa Monica as well as the California Tennis Classic in Fresno and the Sage Hill Classic in Newport Beach.