Mission Accomplished: Eagles Cap 25-0 Season with State Championship
Ventura, Calif. - Nothing worth having ever comes easy.
For LA Mission College, winning its first 3C2A Women's Dual Team State Championship was anything but routine.
The Eagles led after the doubles portion but found themselves trailing 4-3 when Sierra College rallied in singles. Genesis Nochez won her match in a second-set tiebreaker on court six to even the score, which left everything hanging on the No. 3 singles matchup between Misison's Josilyn Rivera and Sierra's Autumn Holmes.
Rivera lost the first set but took set two 6-1 to force the all-deciding third. She took a quick 2-0 lead, but Holmes answered with a pair of breaks to take a 4-3 advantage. Not to be outdone, Rivera broke Holmes back, and the pair eventually reached a tiebreaker to decide the state championship.
It was all Rivera in the extra frame. She took a quick 2-0 lead on the return and capitalized when Holmes played into the net. On match point, Rivera's hard return glanced off the handle of her opponent's racket to hand the Eagles a 5-4 win and the state title.
"Winning the final point is an experience I'll remember for the rest of my life," said Rivera. "[Holmes] is an incredible player; she's so tough. I found something in that tiebreaker and I'm so happy to get it done for my team."
LA Mission finishes the campaign with a spotless 25-0 record in just its fifth year as a program. On a day when something had to give, the Eagles handed Sierra (11-1) its first loss.
"We didn't go 25-0 because we're a bunch of great individuals. It was an incredible group effort," said LA Mission No. 1 Amy Nghiem. "We are so close with one another and always there supporting one another. That's what makes this so special."
The day started with Nghiem and Rivera trouncing their No. 2 doubles opponents 8-2 to take the first point, but Sierra's Svetlana Nyu and Emma Patterson downed Jaelyn Rivera and Priscilla Grinner 8-4 to make it 1-1.
The final doubles match went into extra time as well, with Alitzel Ortega Partida and Citlalli Diaz coming back to take down Natalie Sabanikh and Isabella Rodriguez, 9-7.
Mission extended its advantage to 3-1 when Priscilla Grinner swept Sofia Rodriguez, 6-0, 6-0, but that's when the Wolverines rallied. Sierra's Emma Patterson and Svetlana Nyu cruised in No. 2 and No. 1 singles, respectively, to pull it even at 3-3.
In No. 5 singles, Isabella Rodriguez edged Alitzel Ortega Partida in a crucial first-set tiebreak (7-3) on her way to earning Sierra's first lead of the day, 4-3.
However, the Eagles did not break, with Nochez and Rivera capping the comeback.
"It's a dream and it's a miracle," said Mission head coach Joe Cascione. "Our team never gave up and they stuck together, which is the most important thing. I'm so proud of these players and I'm so happy for Mission College."
LA Mission College 5, Sierra College 4
Doubles
1. Svetlana Nyu/Emma Patterson (SC) def. Jaelyn Rivera/Priscilla Grinner (LAM), 8-4
2. Amy Nghiem/Josilyn Rivera (LAM) def. Autumn Holmes/Sofia Rodriguez (SC), 8-2
3. Alitzel Ortega Partida/Cittalli Diaz (LAM) def. Natalie Sabanikh/Isabella Rodriguez (SC), 9-7
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
Singles
1. Svetlana Nyu (SC) def. Amy Nghiem (LAM), 6-1, 6-2
2. Emma Patterson (SC) def. Jaelyn Rivera (LAM), 6-3, 6-1
3. Josilyn Rivera (LAM) def. Autumn Holmes (SC), 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (0)
4. Priscilla Grinner (LAM) def. Sofia Rodriguez (SC), 6-0, 6-0
5. Isabella Rodriguez (SC) def. Alitzel Ortega Partida (LAM), 7-6 (3), 6-3
6. Genesis Nochez (LAM) def. Aaliyah Campbell (SC), 6-4, 7-6 (5)
Order of Finish: 4, 2, 1, 5, 6, 3
Photo Gallery
Courtesy of Matt Berson
