Strong Singles Play Sends Pirates to Victory

VC's Nell Elaerts was a double winner Thursday, winning in No. 1 doubles with Talia Lieb and capturing her No. 2 singles match as Ventura defeated Canyons 6-3.
VC's Nell Elaerts was a double winner Thursday, winning in No. 1 doubles with Talia Lieb and capturing her No. 2 singles match as Ventura defeated Canyons 6-3.

The Pirates' women's tennis team won five of six singles matches Thursday, narrowly dropping the sixth, to come from behind to defeat Canyons at the VC Tennis Center. Talia Lieb and Nell Elaerts were each double-winners, winning their No. 1 doubles match and prevailing in Nos. 1 and 2 singles, respectively. Elizabeth Nguyen clinched the victory for Ventura (4-4, 4-4) with her win in No. 5 singles.

While Lieb and Elaerts prevailed in No. 1 doubles, 8-5, the Pirates dropped the Nos. 2 and 3 doubles matches to fall behind 2-1 heading to singles.

Elaerts claimed the first singles point after a love and two win at No. 2 and Lieb triumphed love and three in the No. 1 slot. Alexis Schmidt had the most lopsided win of the day, a 6-1, 6-0 win in her No. 3 singles match before Belladora Moga narrowly fell in No. 4 singles, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.  Nguyen then clinched the Pirate victory with her 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 come-from-behind win in her no. 5 singles match, and Laura Rubio finished things off with a 7-6, 6-4 triumph in No. 6 singles.

VC next hosts Bakersfield on Tuesday March 14 at 2:00 pm at the VC Tennis Center.

Ventura 6, Canyons 3

Doubles
1. Lieb/Elaerts (VC) def. Paunovic/Villarta (CoC), 8-5
2. Schmidt/Nguyen (VC) lost to Russell/Wingo (CoC), 8-2
3. Marcie McTigue/Moga (VC) lost to Arana Llosa/Abt (CoC), 8-6

Singles
1. Talia Lieb (VC) def. Ashley Villarta  (CoC), 6-0, 6-3
2. Nell Elaerts (VC) def. Lexi Paunovic (CoC), 6-0, 6-2
3. Alexis Schmidt (VC) def. Jennifer Russell (CoC), 6-1, 6-0
4. Belladora Moga (VC) lost to Ellie Wingo (CoC), 7-6 (7-5), 7-5
5. Elizabeth Nguyen (VC) def. Marie Arana Llosa (CoC), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
6. Laura Rubio (VC) def. Faith Abt (CoC), 7-6, 6-4

Order of Finish, 2, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6