The Pirates' men's tennis team began its final weekend of the season Thursday with five singles players and three doubles teams moving on to day two of the CCCAA State Singles and Doubles Championships at The Ojai. Victories included upsets by Rafael Dunan, Augustin Lestelle and Priyank Soni in singles play while Alexander Martin and Jakob Rinschen had an upset win in doubles.
Soni, the Western State Conference singles champion, surprisingly came into the draw unseeded. After a fist round bye, he proved the prognostication wrong with a 6-2, 6-3 triumph over Northern California No. 9 seed from Chabot College.
Lestelle also received a first round pass before defeating his opponent, the NorCal No. 10 seed from De Anza, 7-6 (3), 6-4. Meanwhile, Dunan took a first round bye before upsetting the NorCal No. 16 seed from Cosumnes River, 6-3, 6-2.
SoCal No. 5-seed Solal Cherqui had a bye, then advanced to the round of 32 with a 6-2, 6-3 win over his opponent from Chabot.
No. 8-seed Adrien Etiemble also had a free pass out of the first round before besting his opponent from Fresno, 6-1, 6-2.
VC's No. 6 singles player Rodrigo Perdigao was eliminated from the state tournament with a 6-2, 6-3 loss to an opponent from Irvine Valley.
In doubles play, the Pirates had all three pairs move on to Friday's play. Martin and Rinschen pulled an upset victory after a first round bye. They defeated the NorCal No. 9 seed from Foothill, 6-3, 5-7, 10-5.
No. 4-seed Etiemble and Soni had an easy day. After a first round pass, they shut out their opponents from De Anza, love and love.
Cherqui and Dunan, SoCal's No. 9 seed, had a first round bye followed by a 6-0, 6-1 victory over opponents from Fresno.
Play in the CCCAA State Championships continues Friday April 26 at high school courts around Oxnard. The tournament continues Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28, in Ojai.