The Pirates' men's tennis team continued play in the CCCAA State singles and Doubles Championships Friday in The Ojai Tournament. Priyank Soni made it through to the quarterfinals to be held Saturday April 28 while the doubles team of Solal Cherqui and Rafael Dunan also moved through the draw to the quarterfinals.
The unseeded Soni is the last Pirate standing. He defeated an opponent from Palomar 6-3, 7-6 (4) in his first match of the day Friday before posting a 6-2, 6-1 upset victory over the Southern California No. 15 seed from Grossmont. He will play in the state quarterfinals on Saturday April 28 at 9:30 am at the Ojai Athletic Club.
In other singles play, No. 8-seed Adrien Etiemble won his Round of 32 match against an opponent from Palomar College. 6-2. 5-7, 6-0 before falling to the SoCal No. 3-seed from Cerritos, 6-0, 6-2. Meanwhile, Cherqui was victorious against an opponent from Cerritos, 6-3, 6-1 before bowing out against the No. 15-seed from Grossmont, 6-2, 6-1.
Augustin Lestelle dropped his Round of 32 match against the SoCal No. 7-seed from Cerritos, 6-2, 6-0, while Dunan was defeated in the Round of 32 by the SoCal No. 2-seed from College of the Desert, 6-2, 6-1.
In doubles, Cherqui and Dunan, seeded No. 9 from Southern California, defeated the Northern California No. 8-seed from Solano 6-1, 6-1. In the Round of 16, they produced a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over the NorCal No. 13-seed from Cosumnes River College. The VC duo will play in the state quarterfinals on Saturday April 28 at 2:30 pm at the Ojai Athletic Club.
Meanwhile, the unseeded pair of Alexander Martin and Jakob Rinschen won their Round of 32 match against a pair from Los Angeles Pierce, 6-1, 6-3, before running into the NorCal No. 13-seed from De Anza College, falling in a close three-set decision, 6-2, 0-6, 12-10. No. 4-seeded Etiemble and Soni defeated an opponent from San Diego City College, 6-3, 5-7, 10-8 before they were forced to withdraw due to injury, allowing the SoCal No. 10-seed from Grossmont to advance to the quarterfinals.
Play in the CCCAA State Championships continues at The Ojai on Saturday and Sunday, APril 28 and 29, in Ojai.