The VC men's tennis team dropped a narrow 5-4 decision to visiting Glendale college Thursday at the VC Tennis Center in the Pirates' conference opener. Charles De La Laurencie was Ventura's only double winner, earning two points for VC with a win in No. 2 singles, 6-2, 6-2, and a victory in No. 3 doubles with partner James Moulton, 8-6. Thiago Batista won a close match in No. 5 singles, 7-5, 603, and the doubles team of Antonio Rosales and Kyle Spiegelman won in No. 1 doubles, 9-8 (7-2).
Ventura (1-1, 0-1) fell behind 3-0 early, dropping the Nos. 4, 1 and 3 singles matches before De La Laurencie got the Pirates on the board at No. 2. VC then lost at No. 6 in a 3-set match before Batista win at No. 5. VC trailed 4-2 heading to doubles.
Glendale did not wit around, finishing off the match at No. 2 doubles before VC's Nos. 3 and 1 doubles teams, De La Laurencie and Moulton, and Rosales and Spiegelman, respectively, won matches to bring Ventura back to a 5-4 final margin.
The Pirates next head to Riverside for a match with the Tigers on Tuesday Feb. 12.
Ventura 4, Glendale 5
Singles
1. Antonio Rosales (VC) lost to Mark Peneff (GC) 2-6, 2-6
2. Charles De La Laurencie (VC) def. Nicholas Pupiek (GC) 6-2, 6-2
3. Alexandre Campolina (VC) lost to Steven Sandoval (GC) 3-6, 3-6
4. Kyle Spiegelman (VC) lost to Hakop Chagaian (GC) 5-7, 1-6
5. Thiago Batista (VC) def. Oshin Hakobian (GC) 7-5, 6-3
6. James Moulton (VC) lost to Samvel Azaryan (GC) 2-6, 6-2, 0-6
Order of Finish: 4,1,3,2,6,5
Doubles
1. Rosales/Spiegelman (VC) def. Peneff/Pupiek (GC) 9-8 (7-2 Tiebreaker)
2. Campolena/Batista (VC) lost to Sandoval/Chagaian (GC) 2-8
3. De La Laurencie/Moulton (VC) def. Andres Simental/ Marcel Contin (GC) 8-6
Order of Finish: 2,3,1