Pasadena Stuns 2-Time Defending State Champ De Anza, 14-7
by Pasadena City College Sports Information
The Pasadena City College women's badminton team just became an instant contender for this year's CCCAA state team title after defeating two-time defending state champion De Anza College, 14-7, Thursday in a rare non-conference match at PCC's Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium.
The Lancers remained perfect this season at 8-0 and ended De Anza's 24-match winning streak dating back to the 2012 season. The Dons are 3-1 this season.
PCC used strong singles play, winning 10 of the 12 matches to score a majority of its points. De Anza answered with better doubles play, winning three of five matches against the Lancers.
PCC's No. 3 Eugenia Mendez won a pair of matches, including a big 21-13, 20-22, 21-5 win over De Anza's No. 3 Helen Fu. Lancers' No. 4 Carmina Ortiz won two matches as did Yinghong Lin at No. 5. Lin beat No. 5 Anh Pham, 21-13, 12-21, 21-14. Finally, PCC No. 6 Priscilla Lam also took care of business in winning two matches, each by sweep.
The only player to beat Pasadena in singles was perhaps the state's No. 1 player in Alice Liu, who downed Lancer No. 1 Rebecca Tzou, 21-9, 21-15, and then beat No. 2 Zin Win Maw, 21-12, 21-15. Tzou defeated De Anza No. 2 Megan Hsiao, 21-11, 21-6, and Maw also beat Hsiao, 21-10, 21-11.
In doubles, Liu-Hsiao ralliled to beat PCC's No. 1 of Tzou-Maw, 21-23, 21-16, 22-20. Tzou-Maw beat Aileen Ngo-Angelina Lee, 21-12, 21-9. Ortiz-Mendez won 21-9, 21-13, over Ngo-Lee and lost to Liu-Hsiao, 21-13, 21-8.
"We have a legitimate shot at the state title," said PCC first-year head coach Jennifer Ho. "Our singles players are playing well and the lower ladder is winning most of their points. You take away Liu, and we outplayed De Anza overall."
Liu was responsible for six of her team's seven points.
On Wednesday at East Los Angeles College, the Lancers moved to 7-0 as they are running away with the South Coast Conference race on a 19-2 victory. Tzou, Maw, Mendez, and No. 4 Jennifer Delgado each won two singles matches while Diana Resendiz and Amanda Awan one each. PCC swept the doubles with two wins a piece by the duo of Maw-Noemi Diaz and Mendez-Lam. The Lin twins, including Yingwen and Yinghong, won their lone No. 3 doubles match.
PCC hosts El Camino College-Compton Center on Friday, April 3 in a 2 p.m. start. It will be the Lancers third match in three days.
[Photo--Lancers No. 1 Rebecca Tzou in action in a recent match.]