Dos Pueblos junior Lauren Stratman won her third consecutive Channel League girls tennis title on Thursday, defeating Santa Barbara High’s Hayley Hranicky-Galitzer 6-1, 6-0.
“Stratman played the best tennis I have ever seen her play. She was hitting clear winners from outside the baseline, and it was quite impressive,” said Santa Barbara High coach Steve Geremia.
Stratman, ranked 16th nationally, has yet to drop a set in Channel League play in her career, with a record of 106-0 in three years of high school tennis. Coach Allison Golledge said that her goal is to tie the record of Amelia White, who was a four-time Channel League champ (1988-92) and was inducted into the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Hall of Fame in 2009.
Santa Barbara High seniors Talia and Ariana Hudson completed their climb to the top of the league on Thursday. After finishing second last season, the twins defeated San Marcos’ Caitlin Mannix and Jordan Lund 6-4, 6-2 for the doubles championship.
“I’m very proud of them. They’ve been a doubles team for us for four years and have worked so hard to improve every year. They’ve had good careers,” said Geremia.
The Hudsons defeated fellow Dons Karina Thornton and Meagan Grant 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 in the semifinals. The first set was their first lost Channel League set of the year. Mannix and Lund advanced to the finals by defeating Santa Barbara’s Taryn Mjelde and Stephanie Thornton 6-2, 7-5.
The third-ranked Dons will open CIF play at home on Thursday against an opponent to be determined. Brackets are released on Monday.
