Close shave for La Jolla Country Day on way to tennis title

As he promised his La Jolla Country Day girls tennis teams in all eight seasons as head coach, Mike Reisinger told the 2025 squad he would shave his distinguished beard if the Torreys won a section championship.

Late Saturday night at the Barnes Tennis Center, playing the Division 1 championship match against rival La Jolla, Reisinger’s beard looked safe. With two matches remaining, LJCD trailed 9-7.

But a Torreys doubles team won a set, then freshman Grace Wu won her set 6-love and the LJCD players mobbed Wu. While the sets score was tied 9-9. LJCD earned the D1 title based on total games won 74-64.

“Hopefully,” Wu said, “Coach keeps his word.”

Minutes after a cake was victoriously smashed in his face, Reisinger was asked if he’ll shave.

“Of course,” he said. “That’s the standing deal.”

The Torreys are accustomed to, pun intended, close shaves. Before the finals, LJCD won its three playoff matches by identical 10-8 scores.

While her singles set was the last match being played, Wu said she didn’t know the outcome depended on her.

“I usually don’t ask what the score is,” she said.

She admitted she was disappointed going into the final set because she had lost her two other sets, 7-5 and 6-2.

“He (Reisinger) talked me through it and made me feel better,” said Wu. “He said just forget everything that’s happened today and start over. There weren’t a lot of nerves.”

La Jolla Country Day’s doubles teams carried the Torreys. The tandems of Angie Hu-Layla Graham and Sarah Dubois-Leila Ziania each won all three sets.

LJCD has now won 10 section girls tennis titles, third best in the section. Torrey Pines leads with 31 and La Jolla has earned 25.

The Torreys repeated as D1 champions. The returning players should have told Wu that Reisinger would keep his word. After last year’s win, the head coach broke out the shaving cream and razor.