Besides Menlo, Bay Division tennis is wide open

As usual, several teams will be dealing with dramatically different rosters. Aragon, who lost five seniors, and Bay Division newcomer San Mateo took some of the hardest hits.

Adding to the Bay mix is undefeated Ocean Division champion Sequoia. With a new coach and an experienced roster, the usual top dogs may find a new contender.

With all of this in mind, here is a breakdown of some of the Peninsula's girls' tennis teams:

Aragon

Coming off of a 5-9 record last year and still lacking their own facilities, the Dons have another tough road ahead of them. On top of trying to practice on a handful of courts at Beresford Park, the Dons lost five seniors, including most valuable player and team captain Tanya Sareen.

Despite such stacked odds, coach Ed Shuler remains optimistic, saying his team has a nice nucleus between youth and experience.

"Expect us to win a lot if we can learn to finish off matches," Shuler said.

On the singles side, Shuler is looking to No. 1 and No. 2 players Katrina Lau and Kelly Brooks to provide valuable leadership. Lau enters her second season at No. 1 due in large part to her solid groundstrokes. Brooks, a senior and a three-year varsity player, relies on her hustle to keep herself in matches.

Sophmores Courtney Fong and Stephanie Yuen top the doubles side of Aragon. Known as "Fire and Ice," this pair plays fundamentally well, Shuler said. They will be backed by juniors Kelly Pauly and Miho Watanabe, who are the reigning PAL frosh-soph champs.

Burlingame

The girls from Burlingame are looking forward to another winning season despite some roster losses, said coach Bill Smith. With a 13-5 record from last year and some solid experience at the top of their singles ladder, the Panthers may get their wish.

Junior Kristen Freethy leads the singles group. A year-round tennis player, she brings lots of experience to the court. Smith expects her to continue to be tenacious on the court. She'll be backed by No. 2 singles player, senior Melanie Mayer. A fourth-year player, she is a fiery competitor who Smith believes succeeds with her good court game and hard serve.

On the doubles side, Smith was still sorting out the ladder and said he has several solid players to choose from.

Carlmont

The Scots are looking to improve on their 8-6 record and coach Randy Lam will be looking to several upper classmen to pull them through.

On the singles side, top ranked senior Audra Lam brings her solid win-loss record and toughness to the top of the Scots' ladder. She'll try to keep the ball in play for as long as necessary, which is a hallmark of hers. No. 2 falls to junior Jennifer Perkins, who is moving up from No. 4. Perkins will try to use her power shots to end points quickly.

Rounding out the singles ladder is tough senior and hustler Melissa Meyer and freshman Kristyne Hamilton.

In doubles play, Lam expects No. 1-ranked pair Kelly Timko and Laura Mitchell to give others a run for their money. Both seniors, Timko and Mitchell bring a blend of finesse and power to their matches.

Mills

With their best season ever last year, the girls from Mills will be working hard to repeat the performance. Coach Scott Selig sees no reason why they can't achieve that goal.

Anchors on the singles side this season include junior Stephanie Luk and senior Huette Wong. Luk, up from the No. 3 spot last year, brings a solid all court game and power in her forehand. Wong, also a senior, was a top doubles player last year. She will hold down the No. 2 singles position with consistency and a strong forehand like Luk. Wong has singles experience, playing at No. 3 and No. 4 her first two years on the team.

Another singles player Selig expects a lot from is third-ranked freshman Jasmine Dong.

"She has the fire," said Selig. "She's got super speed with quick hands."

On the doubles teams, the top seed and one of the tougher pairs to beat this year will be Elizabeth Chang and Karolyne Kim. Selig said Chang, a junior, is one of the most aggressive doubles players he has ever seen. She typically is all over the net. Kim will provide a nice match for Chang with her strong playing ability and serves.

San Mateo

The Lady Bearcats came up from the Ocean Division this year, along with Sequoia. Sporting a 13-3 record last season, San Mateo is doing some rebuilding after losing nine players. Coach John Daquioag maintains a positive outlook, however, feeling if his girls can beat one of the top teams like Mills or Burlingame they will go far.

Incoming freshman Anna Navhan, who has six years of tennis experience already, will head the singles ladder for San Mateo. She has a lot of tenacity with a deadly lob shot, Daquioag said. She'll be joined at the top of the singles group by returning seniors Youmi Bang and Vivian Jiang.

On the doubles side, the top slot is locked in by Olga Minina and Alice Chang. Junior and sophomore respectively, this young team will look to control their matches through solid ground strokes and by pounding the corners.

Sequoia

After a dominating 16-0 year in the Ocean Division last season, Sequoia is taking the step up to Bay and a different level of competition. This suits new head coach Michael Hendrik just fine as he inherits the most intact roster of any team.

"Our key this year will be consistency," said Hendrik. "We can't spend time overhitting."

As the No. 1 singles player and team captain, senior Nicole Cronin will be using her experience to help win matches for Sequoia. Hendrik feels she will do well with her quick hustle and great backhand. No. 2 singles player junior Christina Ruetz should have an equally impressive year with her high energy level and powerful forehand.

Juniors Tanya Rogers and Robin Ummel are the top pick for the doubles side of Sequoia. Having played for the last two years together should be an advantage as they go against other doubles in their usual aggressive style.