Li stymies Snyder in PCL final

Bryce Alderton

A chink in Garrett Snyder’s armor became larger and larger until the

Corona del Mar High singles standout found himself in a hole too deep

to climb out of against University’s Jack Li in the Pacific Coast

League singles final Wednesday at Laguna Beach High.

Following a grueling first game that produced effective shot

making by both players, Snyder -- the top seed -- began to rush his

serves, commit several unforced errors and lose his composure just

enough to give Li, the No. 2 seed, the fuel to produce a 6-4, 6-1

victory.

“I just tried to take the ball early and make [Snyder] move as

much as he could,” Li said. “I kept him away from his strength, which

are volleys.”

Snyder, who lost for only the second time in singles play this

season, said the match turned after he broke to tie Li, 3-3, in the

first set.

Snyder went down, 15-40, but battled back to force the first of

four deuces. Li prevailed to take a lead he wouldn’t relinquish when

Snyder double faulted.

“I didn’t feel comfortable on my strokes and had no momentum,”

Snyder said. “I wasn’t on my best game and Jack played well.”

Snyder broke a string on his racquet during the seventh game of

the first set and used another model the rest of the match.

“I couldn’t find any rhythm after that,” Snyder said. “Every

racket is different with the strings, grip ... weight.”

Li burst to a 5-0 lead in the second set before Snyder, who has

defeated Li twice this year by 6-3 counts, took one game.

“Garrett was frustrated and tried to hit winners on every ball

where the percentages were low,” CdM Coach Tim Mang said. “You’ve got

to take the offensive against Jack.”

Snyder went away from fast-paced ground strokes at the baseline

and attempted to drop volley several balls, but many found the net or

sailed wide. Li answered back with fierce cross-court winners.

Despite the loss Wednesday, Snyder qualified for the CIF Southern

Section individual playoffs by finishing in the top 2 in the league.

“Getting into the CIF playoffs is the important thing,” he said.

Li made it three years in a row a University singles player has

taken the PCL singles title over a CdM opponent. Aaron Yovan won the

last two titles over former CdM counterparts Erik Frisbee and Cameron

Ball in 2002 and 2001, respectively.

Ball, who will return later this week from a three-week stay in

Jamaica where he is competing in satellite tournaments according to

father, Syd, defeated Yovan for the 2000 league title, the first year

CdM inhabited the PCL.

Ball’s younger brother, Carsten, the third seed, lost to Li, 6-2,

6-2, in the semifinals Wednesday before securing third place with an

8-1 win over teammate Spencer Reitz. Reitz and Ball played under

eight-game professional set rules, where they alternate each serve.

Snyder defeated Reitz in another semifinal Wednesday, 6-2, 6-3.