After an impressive 17-match streak of near perfection, the Calabasas girls’ tennis team finally faltered but left no reason to hang their heads.
The Coyotes entered the season seeking redemption after a narrow 10-8 loss to Laguna Beach in the 2023 CIF Division II finals. Their 2024 campaign began with momentum, notching victories over Oak Park High School and Harvard-Westlake High School. In their fourth match of the season, Calabasas and Westlake High School battled to a 9-9 draw, and the Warriors took a 4-2 advantage in tie-breaks to hand the Coyotes their first and only loss of the regular season. However, Calabasas defeated Westlake in their next matchup and won their final nine games en route to their first Marmonte League Championship since 2006.
Calabasas dominated the Marmonte League playoffs, as Gianna Mucci defeated teammate Alena Kolasova for the singles title. The doubles duo of Sydney Smith and Charli Kaaya added to the team’s hardware by clinching the doubles title.
In the first round of the CIF Division I playoffs, Calabasas showcased their strength, beginning with a decisive 13-5 victory over Coastal Canyon League champions Oak Park High School. In the second round, the Coyotes faced the 2023 CIF State Champions Mater Dei, but were able to move on with an 11-7 win.
In the quarterfinals, Calabasas faced undefeated Crossroads High School, where another 11-7 triumph ended the Roadrunners’ season and advanced the Coyotes to the semifinals. At home against Woodbridge High School, Calabasas delivered a commanding 14-4 victory, with the doubles teams of Gianna Mucci and Maddy Ginsberg, along with Sydney Smith and Charli Kaaya, sweeping their matches to propel the team to its second straight CIF Finals appearance.
Awaiting Calabasas in the finals were the Westlake Warriors, who were in the midst of a “rebuild” one year after beating #1 ranked Mater Dei in the 2023 CIF Open Division Finals. The Warriors’ 2024 finals appearance was their third in four years, as they also won the 2021 CIF Open Division Finals. Initially scheduled at the University of Redlands, rain delays shifted the final to North Ranch Country Club four days later.
As in the regular season, the match remained deadlocked 3-3 after one round and 6-6 after two. Despite Calabasas’ efforts, Westlake’s exceptional doubles play proved decisive, with Olivia Nardiello and Alexandra Marco sealing a 10-8 victory for the Warriors.
The result denied Calabasas a chance to match Westlake’s seven CIF titles, leaving the Warriors with eight championships as they solidified their resurgence.
With the defeat, Calabasas will look to their underclassmen to build on the foundation of success established by this year’s impactful seniors, Siena Goldfarb, Nava Aminian, Sydney Smith, and Tea Damascus.
