by Steve Breazeale
Girls Tennis
The Dolphins girls tennis team took care of their home-court advantage on October 31, defeating visiting Woodbridge 13-5 in the first round of the CIF-SS Team Tennis playoffs.
The Dolphins (17-1, 8-0 league) also took care of the league during the regular season, going undefeated to earn one of the four all-important No. 1 seeds in the Division 1 playoff bracket.
For Woodbridge, who made it to the playoffs by earning a Pacific Coast League at-large bid, the match against the Dolphins was their second in two days. On October 30, Woodbridge had to play into the tournament by winning a wild card matchup against Newbury Park.
The doubles team of Alyssa Smith and AJ Gomer was on point for the Dolphins, securing three match wins in as many matches played.
The Dolphins singles players were also strong, as Katie Olson won all three of her matches played, while Cassidy Spearman and Jessica Perez each won two out of three.
The Dolphins will now travel to play Newport Harbor in the second round on November 2. The match is set to start at 2 p.m. Newport is the No. 2 seed out of the Sunset League and is coming off of a 14-4 victory over Louisville.
Boys and Girls Cross Country
The Dolphins boys and girls cross country team had a week off from competition after running at the Mt. SAC Invitational on October 20. Both squads were set to run at the South Coast League Finals on November 1 at Irvine Regional Park. Results were not available at press time.
One runner that was poised to have a breakout performance at League Finals was freshman Jake Ogden, who has been one of the Dolphins top runners this season. At the Mt. SAC invitational, one of the premier cross country events in southern California, Ogden set a new all-time freshman record after posting a time of 15:14.
Girls Volleyball
The Dolphins (20-6, 8-0) went undefeated in league play to capture the 2012 South Coast League title. The team had an impressive run through the South Coast League, dropping only four sets in eight league games played.
The Dolphins closed their season out in dominating fashion by ending with an eight-match win streak. Their final six games were all three-set sweeps.
Volleyball playoff brackets will be released by the CIF-SS on November 3 at 12:30 p.m. After winning league, the Dolphins are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs.
Boys Water Polo
After dropping a game to league rival El Toro on October 25, the Dolphins (20-7, 6-1) rattled off four wins in a row at the Steve Pal Memorial Tournament, which took place from October 26 to October 27.
The Dolphins got another important league victory after defeating Capistrano Valley 20-8 on October 30.
As of November 1, the Dolphins stood in sole possession of the South Coast League title with one league game remaining on their schedule against San Clemente which was set for November 1. Results were not available at press time.
El Toro (18-7, 5-2) is the team chasing the Dolphins for a share of the league title. They were slated to play Capistrano Valley November 1. Results were not available at press time.
The Dolphins should not take the match against San Clemente (16-10, 4-3) lightly. The Tritons are looking to make their case for a playoff berth and recently upset El Toro on October 29.
With a win over the Tritons the Dolphins would assure themselves the title. If they lose and El Toro wins, there will be a two-way tie at the top.
Next Game: 11/2 vs. Los Osos, 4 p.m.
Girls Golf
Avery French and Elizabeth Soewondo both qualified for the CIF Individual Finals at Western Hills Country Club on November 1. Results were not available at press time. As a team, the Dolphins season is over, after finishing 13th at the CIF-SS Team Final on October 29.
Football
If the Dolphins (3-6, 2-1) want to get a share of their first Sea View League title, they will have to win against visiting San Juan Hills on November 2. The Dolphins let a 10-point lead disappear in the final minutes against Laguna Hills on October 23, giving the Hawks at least a share first place. The Dana Point Times will be live tweeting from the Dolphins final game. Follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports for in-game updates.
