Strings Have an Easy Time : TeamTennis: Daniels helps L.A. to a 29-13 Western Division semifinal playoff victory over Wichita on her 30th birthday.

There was not an expensive gift or even a party, but Mary Lou Daniels got what she wanted Tuesday night for her 30th birthday as the Los Angeles Strings defeated the Wichita Advantage, 29-13, in a Western Division semifinal match before a Forum crowd of 2,324.

“I wasn’t even concerned about anything else,” Daniels said. “A great win was all I needed.”

It was an easy victory, too, for the Strings, who never trailed and were never seriously challenged. Daniels teamed with Robin White in the first match of the evening, racing to a 3-0 lead and breaking serve twice to defeat Wichita’s Cammy MacGregor and Catherine Suire in women’s doubles, 6-1.

The Strings will play face San Antonio in the Western Division finals on Thursday in San Antonio. The Racquets (13-1) defeated the Strings, 28-16, in the final regular-season match Saturday.

“We needed to get out to an early lead tonight,” John Lloyd, the Strings’ player/coach said. “We can’t fall behind and put the pressure on Jimmy Connors to bring us back.”

Connors did his share as well.

Connors defeated Buff Farrow, 6-2, in men’s singles and teamed with Lloyd to beat Farrow and Craig Johnson, an All-American for Pepperdine in 1988, in men’s doubles, 6-3.

“Jimmy just takes over and brings us through,” Daniels said.

In other matchups, Lloyd and White easily handled Johnson and MacGregor, 6-1, in mixed doubles. MacGregor replaced Suire for the last two games and finished off White, 5-4, in a nine-point tiebreaker to win the women’s singles, 6-5.

The Strings and Wichita split two regular-season meetings. The Advantage defeated the Strings, 24-16, on July 20 in Wichita. The Strings beat Wichita, 25-20, last Thursday.

“It’s a new match, but there were no surprises,” Lloyd said.

Johnson agreed.

“It’s not an advantage or a disadvantage,” Johnson said. “They know our strengths and we know theirs. It is sort of special playing here. I brought a lot of friends.”