Men's Tennis Falls to Cerritos In Second Round of Playoffs

The team of Corey Karen and Hironori Koyanagi picked up a win at No. 1 doubles, but VC dropped their playoff match against Cerritos 5-2.
The team of Corey Karen and Hironori Koyanagi picked up a win at No. 1 doubles, but VC dropped their playoff match against Cerritos 5-2.

The Ventura College men's tennis team took on Cerritos in the second round of the So Cal Regional Playoffs and dropped a 5-2 decision. The Pirates were able to win a pair of doubles matches to take an early advantage, but fell in all four singles matches played to completion. Hironori Koyanagi and Corey Karen won their No. 1 doubles match 9-7.

Ventura finishes their team regular season with the loss to Cerritos. Ventura took the early lead winning the No. 1 doubles contest and then fell in the No. 2 doubles match. The No. 3 team of Leonardo Santos and Diego Rodrigues picked up the win at No. 3 doubles 8-6. 

It was in singles play though were the Falcons pulled out the win over the Pirates. The No. 1 and No. 2 singles contests were not completed as Cerritos picked up wins at No. 3, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 singles winning eight of the nine contested sets. By virtue of the four wins in singles and their one win in doubles the Falcons won the contest and advance on in the state playoffs.

Ventura finishes their season 15-3 overall and 8-0 in the Western State Conference. On Thursday Apr. 14 VC returns to the court to complete the WSC singles and doubles tournament after it was rained out over the previous weekend. 

Cerritos 5 Ventura 2

DOUBLES

1. Corey Karen/Hironori Koyanagi (VC) def. Oleksandr Krasnov/Nikita Katsnelson (CERR), 9-7
2. Aleks Trifunovic/James Zhang (CERR) def. Guenter Newman/Michael Burr (VC), 8-2
3. Leonardo Santos/Diego Rodrigues (VC) def. Agustin Lombardi/Mark Antoniuk (CERR), 8-6

SINGLES

1. Oleksandr Krasnov (CERR) led Hironori Koyanagi (VC), 6-4, 6-5
2. Nikita Katsnelson (CERR) led Corey Karen (VC), 6-3, 6-7 (7), 2-0
3. Agustin Lombardi (CERR) def. Guenter Newman (VC), 2-6, 6-1, 6-4
4. Aleks Trifunovic (CERR) def. Diego Rodrigues (VC), 6-2, 6-2
5. James Zhang (CERR) def. Evan Gazic (VC), 6-0, 6-1
6. Eliot Dota (CERR) def. Michael Burr (VC), 6-2, 6-3