Phebus Drops Singles Match in Challenger Tennis Event

Corona del Mar’s Keri Phebus lost a close match in the opening round of the Women’s Challenger of Newport Beach tennis tournament Wednesday at the Newport Beach Marriott.

Phebus, a former NCAA champion from UCLA, lost to Melissa Mazzotta of Key Biscayne, Fla., 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.

Phebus teams with Australia’s Lisa McShea in a doubles match today.

Top-seeded Sandra Cacic of Bradenton, Fla., advanced with a 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 victory over Ginger Helgeson-Nielsen of Alpine. Second-seeded Catalina Cristea of Romania also advanced, winning, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, over Britain’s Julie Pullin.

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David Giddings of Newport Beach took advantage of six-foot waves produced by Hurricane Nora to score the highest overall score on Day 2 of the Body Glove SurfBout X at Lower Trestles in San Clemente.

Giddings, who also had the top-wave score of the day with a perfect 10, had an overall score of 25.25. Kasey Curtis of Capistrano Beach had the second-best overall score (23.50) and Cordell Miller of Laguna Beach was third (23.25).

The men’s surfing main event begins today, along with the wahine trials, the longboard trials and the bodyboard main event.

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Adam Stetson, a 6-foot-8 forward from Western Nebraska College, has signed to play basketball at UC Irvine, Anteater Coach Pat Douglass said.

Stetson played one season at Western Nebraska, averaging 5.8 points and 1.9 rebounds. He has three years of eligibility remaining.

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Guard Joe Ortiz of Calvary Chapel has committed to attend Westmont College, Athletic Director Joe Walters said.

A 6-2 senior, Ortiz was an All-CIF Division IV first-team basketball selection last season, averaging 18.7 points a game.

Former Calvary Chapel guard Kevin Falconer, also a first-team Division IV choice last season, is a freshman at Westmont.