BREAKERS ROUNDUP: Girls’ tennis team is half way there

One round down. One more to go.

The Laguna Beach girls’ tennis team is at the halfway point of the Orange Coast League race and four matches closer to winning its third consecutive league championship. The Breakers turned in their fourth league victory Tuesday by blanking host Costa Mesa, 18-0.

In singles play, Alex Tachovsky, Maddie Jaeger and Haley Moss all won by 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 scores. In doubles play, the No. 1 team of Claire Jaeger/Lauren Michaels also won by 6-0 scores. At No. 2, McKenna Nokes also picked up three points, winning twice with Lauren Mendoza and once with Megan Marolf. The Breakers’ No. 3 team of Bianca Sganga/Alison Azera won by 6-0, 6-2, 3-0 (default) scores.

“We won pretty easily and it was nice to have Alex (Tachovsky) back in the line-up,” Laguna Coach Jimmy Gleason said.

“It feels good to be 4-0 at the halfway point in league, although I feel that we were pretty fortunate to scrape by Estancia in our last match.”

Laguna, now 10-1 overall, went into an Oct. 9 home match against Estancia without its top singles player, as Tachovsky was scratched due to illness. Both illness and line-up shifts shaped the way the important match between two then-undefeated league teams played out on the Laguna courts.

The teams ended up battling to a 9-9, tie but the Breakers took the victory by virtue of a 77-71 advantage in games won.

“We missed Alex and we struggled a bit, but Estancia’s a good team,” Gleason said.

“They have a good No. 1 singles player (Ellie Edles) and their doubles teams are good.

“It was a lot closer than I thought it would be,” Estancia Coach Rachel De Los Santos said.

“We didn’t know that their No. 1 singles wasn’t playing until we got here. We were without a doubles player and had girls playing in spots they’d never played before. I was definitely pleased with the way our girls played.

“I think if they had her (Tachovsky), there’s a good chance that they would have swept at No. 1 singles and with her in their line-up, it would have changed the way the rest of the match was played.”

Maddie Jaeger, taking over at No. 1 singles for Tachovsky, won two of three. The Breakers also got two wins each from Claire Jaeger/Lauren Michaels at No. 1 doubles and Heather Tran/McKenna Nokes at No. 2 doubles.

Laguna begins its next week’s schedule hosting Mater Dei in nonleague play at 3 p.m. Monday.

On Tuesday, they’ll also be home to Calvary Chapel in a 3 p.m. league match.

“We have a big week coming up,” Gleason said. “Mater Dei should be a tough match and Calvary has improved a lot.

“The girls definitely have been improving, especially with their intensity and movement around the net in doubles play. They’re really starting to come together.”

Last weekend, Laguna participated in tournament play at Corona del Mar. The Breakers played four matches and finished the event with a 1-3-1 record.

Laguna also opened the second round of league play Thursday against Godinez, but the score wasn’t available at press time.

? Girls’ Golf

Laguna moved to 7-0 in Golden West League play Monday by disposing of host Orange, 236-291, at Riverview Golf Course in Santa Ana.

Grace Komoroczy again was medalist for the Breakers with a two-over-par 36. She had 13 putts.

Two other Breakers, junior Jenni Coury and Karina Shaw, each shot 45 scores.

“We played pretty well and I was happy with our scores, especially getting both Jenni and Karina to shoot in the 40s,” Laguna Coach Val Quigley said.

The Breakers, who improved to 8-3 overall with the win, have two big matches next week against Costa Mesa and Estancia.

? Cross-Country

Laguna, idle last weekend, will resume competition Saturday at the Orange County Invitational at Irvine Park.