SOUTHERN SECTION TENNIS: LAST OF LOCALS ELIMINATED IN SOUTHERN SECTION TENNIS.

Byline: Lauren Gustus Staff Writer

HUNTINGTON BEACH - The last area hopefuls in the Southern Section individual tennis tournament at Sea Cliff Country club were eliminated in the semifinals Friday.

Celia Durkin of Calabasas lost in singles, and Cheyenne and Katarina Reveche of Campbell Hall of North Hollywood fell in doubles.

``I really wanted Cheyenne to win it,'' Campbell Hall coach Steve Kuechel said. ``She's a great person and a great player.''

Durkin lost to the Southern Section's top seed, USC-bound Lindsey Nelson of Villa Park, 6-2, 7-6 (6-2). The Reveche sisters lost to Macall Harkins and Erika Schweyer of Peninsula of Rolling Hills Estates 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

``Celia is such a classy player,'' said Connie Flanderka, Westlake's coach and on hand as a CIF representative. ``All my girls like to play her even though they know they're going to get beat.''

Durkin served for the second set at 5-4 but was rattled by a what she though was a poor line call and double-faulted to lose the game. She felt she received another poor call in the next game and Nelson was able to force a tiebreak.

Durkin was reeling mentally and didn't challenge in the tiebreak, which would have sent the match to a third set.

The Reveches trailed 3-0 in the third set but cut the deficit to 4-3, breaking Harkins for the first time. But that was as close as they would get.

``When you're down 3-0 in doubles it's all about momentum,'' Cheyenne Reveche said. ``It's tough to come back.''

The two believed they could have won the match in the second set after taking a 2-0 lead. But Harkins and Schweyer were resilient.

``It shouldn't have gone to a third set,'' Katarina Reveche said.

Cheyenne Reveche, who won the Southern Section Div. III team title with Campbell Hall, and Durkin will play tennis in college. Durkin was accepted to Harvard, and Cheyenne's top choice is the University of Minnesota.

Lauren Gustus, [phone]

Lauren.gustus(at)dailynews.com