The VC men's tennis team qualified three singles players and three doubles teams for the 3C2A State Championships at The Ojai during the first day of play in the Western State Conference Singles and Doubles Championships at the VC Tennis Center Thursday. Haru Nakayama and Yusen Sato were among the three Pirate doubles duos to qualify for state, along with Max Beaudry and Manolo Vanbesien, along with Rafael Matias and Yanis Guerrout.
The No. 3-seeded Matias and Guerrout received a bye to the quarterfinal round while No. 5 Sato and Nakayama defeated a team from Glendale 8-0 to qualify for The Ojai. Meanwhile, 8th-seeded Beaudry and Vanbesien defeated a duo from Santa Barbara 8-2 to move to the quarterfinals. Ariitea Cotti-Helme and Jules Marquez Fichet dropped an 8-3 decision to the No.6 seed from Glendale to fall into the backdraw of the doubles tournament.
All seven Pirates in the singles draw remain alive after play on Thursday with Matias, Sato and Guerrout all winning twice to move to the quarterfinal round, qualifying for The Ojai later this month.
No. 2-seeded Matias had a bye before defeating an opponent from Santa Barbara, 6-2, 6-2, to move to the Round of 8 while No. 6 Sato defeated a foe from Bakersfield love and love before besting the No. 7-seed from Glendale in a super-tiebreaker, 6-3, 3-6, (10-5).No. 8 Guerrout was victorious in his first match against Bakersfield, 6-0, 6-0 before defeating the No. 15-seed from Glendale, 6-3, 6-1.
Cotti-Helme, seed No. 10 in the draw, defeated an opponent from Bakersfield 6-1, 6-2 before moving to the backdraw by losing in a super-tiebreaker against Glendale, 6-4, 4-6, (10-5).
No. 12-ranked Nakayama won his first match of the day against a player from Bakersfield, 6-3, 6-3 before taking the No. 9 seed from Glendale to a super-tiebreaker before falling, 6-3, 3-6, (10-8). Beaudry won his Round of 32 match against Glendale, 6-3, 6-4 before moving to the backdraw with a loss to the No. 1-seed from SBCC, 6-3, 6-3. He will face Nakayama in the backdraw quarterfinal Friday.
Vanbesien won his contest against Bakersfield, love and one before dropping a 6-0, 6-1 decision to the No. 3-ranked player from Glendale. Meanwhile, Leo Pham defeated his opponent from Glendale, 6-3, 6-2 before dropping a 6-4, 6-0 decision to the No. 4-seed from Santa Barbara.
Play in the WSC Championships continues Friday April 4 at the VC Tennis Center.