Falcons advance to SoCal Championships

by Cerritos College Sports Information

In their third meeting this season with Mt. San Antonio College, the Cerritos College women's tennis team posted a 5-2 win to advance to the championships of the Southern California Team Playoffs. Ranked #1 in Southern California, the Falcons (23-1) will now host another South Coast Conference opponent, College of the Desert, in a 2:00 p.m. match on Saturday. COD upset #2-seeded Glendale College, 5-4 in their semifinal match. The winner will advance to the CCCAA State Championship match, which will be held at Ventura College on April 20.

In their two meetings against the Roadrunners in conference play, the Falcons posted a 9-0 home win and a 6-3 victory in Palm Desert.

Against the Mounties on Tuesday, Cerritos found themselves trailing, 2-1 in the team score after doubles play. They turned things around in singles play, winning four straight set matches to earn the 5-2 team victory. The Falcons were leading in one of the unfinished matches and lost the first set in the other.

At the top of the singles ladder, sophomores Taylor Heath (Cerritos HS) and Anastasia Khomyachenko (Sochi, Russia) redeemed themselves after suffering an 8-5 doubles defeat. Heath earned a 6-4, 6-2 win over Connie Aranguiz, with Khomyachenko defeating Judy Ung, 6-2, 6-1.

Earning wins in singles after accounting for the lone doubles victory were sophomore Jovana Milosevic (High School of Business and Law, Serbia/Hillsborough, FL CC) and freshman Danielle Pastor (Bishop Montgomery HS). They pulled out an 8-6 doubles victory and then combined to lose just five games in their straight set singles wins.


SINGLES

Taylor Heath (CERR) def. Connie Aranguiz (MSAC), 6-4, 6-2
Anastasia Khomyachenko (CERR) def. Judy Ung (MSAC), 6-2, 6-1
Kristen Russo (MSAC) led Tiffany Sanchez (CERR), 7-5 (unfinished)
Valentina Polonyi (CERR) led Amberley Huang (MSAC), 6-3, 5-3 (unfinished)
Jovana Milosevic (CERR) def. Jessica Ulloa (MSAC), 6-2, 6-1
Danielle Pastor (CERR) def. Jasmin Bowright (MSAC), 6-2, 6-0

DOUBLES

Connie Aranguiz/Judy Ung (MSAC) def. Taylor Heath/Anastasia Khomyachenko (CERR), 8-5
Kristen Russo/Amberley Huang (MSAC) def. Tiffany Sanchez/Valentina Polonyi (CERR), 8-5
Jovana Milosevic/Danielle Pastor (CERR) def. Jessica Ulloa/Jasmin Bowright (MSAC), 8-6

Photo by Daryl Peterson