Pirates advance with 5-1 win over Bakersfield
COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College women's tennis team picked up its 20th win of the season against just one loss and it came in the opening round of the Southern California Regional Team playoffs, courtesy of a 5-1 win over Bakersfield College on Tuesday at the OCC Tennis complex.
With the win, the top-seeded Pirates will host Santa Monica City College on Tuesday at 2 p.m. The 4th-seeded Corsairs (11-5) picked up a 5-1 win over San Diego City College on Tuesday, earning a matchup with OCC on April 16.
In the race to five wins, the Pirates took an early lead in doubles play, with a pair of wins coming from Tori Varela/Olivia Sipiora (8-4) and Camila Nelson/Merrit Dubourdieu (8-1). Coast carried a 2-1 lead into singles play and the depth of the Pirates showed with quick, straight-set wins from Dubordieu (6-0, 6-2) and Leanne Pascua (6-1, 6-0). At No. 2 singles, Varela took care of business with a 6-2, 6-1 win to send the Pirates onto the next round.
Unfinished matches for the Pirates had the hosts ahead in two other contests, including Nelson at No. 1 singles (6-4, 2-1) and Rhea Gagnepain at No. 4 singles (6-1, 5-4).
Tuesday's second-round playoff matchup will be the third meeting between the Pirates and Corsairs. Coast opened the season at SMCC and picked up an 8-1 win on Jan. 26 before doubling-up the Corsairs on March 1 at OCC, 6-3.
That 6-3 win started OCC's current 10-match win streak after Coast's season-opening 10-match win streak was halted by Riverside City College on Feb. 29.
