Santa Barbara’s boys tennis team pounced on Laguna Beach on Wednesday, tallying a 16-2 non-league victory against last year’s CIF Division-IV finalists.
“We got them off the bus and just never got them a chance to get started,” said Dons head coach Steve Geremia. “I was pleased because Santa Barbara High played good tennis and that’s what we’re looking at.”
Geremia enjoyed solid performances in singles for the second straight match from Nico Pollero and Graham Maasen, who won their four sets without giving up a single game. Matt Baum also won two singles sets in his first match of the season.
Santa Barbara won nine doubles sets without a loss. The starting teams of Dan Diaz/Chris Williams, Chase Melton/Jimmy Vaughan and Chris Grant/Logan Liddell each won two sets before giving way to subs.
Santa Barbara (2-0) travels to the state championships in Fresno this weekend to compete against 111 other schools.
“Anybody who’s anybody is up there,” Geremia said.
SANTA BARBARA 16, LAGUNA BEACH 2
SANTA BARBARA: Singles – Pollero 2-0, Maasen 2-0, Baum 2-0, Bush 1-0, Kirchoff 0-1, Conliffe 0-1. Doubles – Diaz/Chris Williams 2-0, Melton/Vaughan 2-0, Grant/Liddell 2-0, Liddell/Huffard 1-0, Charmin-Kuhn 1-0, Stussy/ Maron 1-0.
