Boys’ tennis: It’s lonely at the top, but these Trojans don’t mind
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Right now, University is on top of the tennis mountain and it has every intention of staying there.
The talent-laden squad from Irvine earned the right to be called King of the Hill by defeating Peninsula to win the Southern Section Division I title last spring. This season, the Trojans have picked up right where they left off, easily winning their first two matches to serve notice that the ‘champions’ moniker will not easily be relinquished.
Senior Jason Lin swept at No. 1 singles, 6-0, 6-0, 6-1, to set the tone in Tuesday’s 15-3 season-opening victory over Calabasas. Lin won two out of three sets against Peninsula in last year’s final -- the Trojans’ first section title since winning three straight Division II crowns from 2000-02.
Kevin Masaki and Kona Luu have won all six of their sets so far at No. 3 doubles, including a 6-0, 6-0, 6-2 sweep in Thursday’s 17-1 drubbing of Santa Margarita. Masaki partnered with Gautam Vaidyanathan (one of four players from last year’s team lost to graduation) to sweep at No. 2 doubles in last year’s final -- University’s sixth in nine years.
Coach John Kessler has again scheduled tough nonleague opponents, hoping that will serve his team well come playoff time, just as it did last spring. The Trojans need 19 more victories to match last year’s total, but that matters less than simply winning their last match.
-- Steve Galluzzo