TENNIS NOTEBOOK: HARVARD-WESTLAKE HOPES FOR A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH.

Byline: Lauren Gustus Staff Writer

It's the same old story for the Harvard-Westlake High of Studio City girls' tennis team.

When the Wolverines are healthy, they're one of the best teams around. When they're not - as in a recent tiebreaker victory over Mission League foe Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks in which Harvard-Westlake played without two of its top players - things can get dicey.

``If I have my full team, and it's only been one day that I've had my whole team healthy, then I know we'll be tough to beat,'' coach Chris Simpson said.

Freshman Natasha Brown has had playing time at No. 1 singles after the Wolverines lost two top singles players at the start of the season, and new doubles partners Alex Smith and Lauren Moyer swept all three sets in four matches last week.

The Wolverines (8-5) also had injury troubles last year. They lost to a strong Peninsula team in the second round of the Southern Section Div. I playoffs.

This season, Harvard-Westlake hopes to be recuperated before the playoffs start in two weeks.

``Our team has talked all year about getting to the quarterfinals,'' Simpson said. ``I think we'll surprise some people.''

--No squeaker here: Monroe of North Hills thought its match against Van Nuys would be the toughest on its Valley Mission League schedule. Instead, it turned out to be the smoothest.

The Vikings (9-0, 6-0) defeated Van Nuys 6-1, and with the victory broke a streak of five consecutive, and seven out of eight, 4-3 victories.

``I'm lucky to have any hair left at all,'' coach Matt Oliphant said.

Monroe's success is due in large part to its Nos. 1 and 2 singles players, Sarah Dela Cruz and Stephanie Oliphant, both juniors. Dela Cruz has dropped two matches and Oliphant is undefeated.

With the victory over Van Nuys (6-3), the Vikings are assured of at least a share of the league title. Monroe won it outright last year despite splitting with Van Nuys, then lost to Cleveland of Reseda in the first round of the City Section Championship bracket playoffs.

--Green and going for it: In an 11-7 Frontier League loss to Malibu last week, Maggie Cahill played but Caitlin Carr was out sick, and that's the way it's gone for Oaks Christian of Westlake Village this season.

After a surprising run to the Southern Section Div. V semifinals last season, this year the Lions (5-6) have struggled to field a full team. Before the Malibu match, Oaks Christian had lost four players to injuries and suspensions. After the match it lost one more - Cahill injured her shoulder and coach Steve Abraham did not know whether she would return.

``The girls are hanging in there,'' Abraham said. ``We're playing up no matter who we play, and that's what you want as a coach. This team is really strong and we're giving it everything we've got. ... But they're just getting the baptism a little earlier than I would like. I come home and I say, 'We're putting so much pressure on our sophomores and freshmen.' ''

Lauren Gustus, [phone]

lauren.gustus(at)dailynews.com