First Team Singles
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Natalie Braverman
Newport Harbor,
Sophomore
An ankle injury cost Braverman half her freshman season. But she more than made up for lost time this year. Braverman helped lead the Sailors to a 20-2 regular-season record by winning 28 of 30 sets at No. 1 singles. Her only losses were to Woodbridge’s Susanna Lingman, another first-team selection, and Palos Verdes Peninsula’s Colby Comstock. Braverman’s most impressive wins came against Lingman, Corona del Mar’s Anne Yelsey and Capistrano Valley’s Leigh Ann Merryman. In doubles play, she was 12-0. Braverman won the Sea View League title, defeating Lingman in the finals.
Susanna Lingman
Woodbridge,
Junior
A repeat first-team selection and a three-time all-county pick, Lingman handed Newport Harbor’s Natalie Braverman and Mater Dei’s Melissa Esmero their only regular-season losses. Lingman lost two of her first three dual-match singles sets, then won 24 of her last 27, losing only to Esmero (6-4), Braverman (6-4) and Palos Verdes Peninsula’s Colby Comstock (7-6). She also gave Newport Harbor’s Audra Adams two of her three singles defeats. Lingman showed her versatility by winning 11 of 12 doubles sets in dual matches. In the section individual tournament, Lingman advanced to the round of 16 with a straight-sets victory over Dana Hills’ Kate Romm. She led the second-seeded Esmero--the eventual tournament runner-up--4-1 in the first set before losing, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2.
Kim Nguyen
Saddleback,
Junior
A first-team all-county selection for the third time, Nguyen was 42-0 in dual matches. In three years of dual matches, Nguyen has lost only one set--the first one she ever played. She ended her team’s season on a high note, sweeping three sets against Palos Verdes Peninsula in the first round of the Southern Section Division I playoffs. In the section individual tournament, Nguyen reached the round of 16 for the third year. She advanced with a two-set victory over Corona del Mar’s Nadia Vaughan. She won her opening match at Balboa Bay Racquet Club with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Santa Margarita’s Erin Miller, but lost to eventual champion Luana Magnani of San Marino in the quarterfinals, 6-3, 7-5. A black belt in taekwondo, Nguyen figures to be one of the most highly recruited players in Southern California next year.
Second Team Singles
Audra Adams
School: Newport Harbor; Year: Senior; Notable: Won 36 of 39 sets in dual-meet singles matches, was 12-0 in doubles.
Anne Yelsey
School: Corona del Mar; Year: Freshman; Notable: Pacific Coast League runner-up, 38-4 in dual matches, beat Lingman, Maddocks.
Ashley Maddocks
School: Laguna Beach; Year: Sophomore; Notable: PCL champion, 50-3 in singles, round of 16 in section individuals.
Lori Judd-Stacey Lee
School: Troy; Year: Senior-Junior; Notable: Freeway League champions, 54-0 in dual-match sets, led team to Division II finals.
Erin Herrel-Casey Knutson
School: Mater Dei; Year: Senior-Sophomore; Notable: Serra League runners-up, quarterfinalists in Southern Section individuals.
Leigh Ann Merryman-Jenny Bailey
School: Capistrano Valley; Year: Senior-Senior; Notable: South Coast League runners-up, quarterfinalists in Southern Section individuals.
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