The No. 2-seeded VC men's tennis team avenged their only regular season loss to a community college team since 2019 and advanced to the State Final Four with a resounding 5-1 triumph over No. 4 Riverside in the 3C2A Southern California Regional Playoffs Tuesday at the VC Tennis Center. The Pirates (16-6) avenged a 5-4 defeat to the Tigers on March 1 behind a 3-0 sweep in doubles and wins by Julian Tellez and Edgar Ploquin in singles play.
Ventura's No. 2 doubles team of Rafael Matias and Tellez produced the first point of the day with an 8-4 win. The No. 1 duo of Cody Ray Emery and Lucas Abreu held a comfortable 7-4 lead before pulling out a 9-8 (9-7) win. Meanwhile, Robinson Pelluault and Ploquin captured a tightly fought contest at No. 3 doubles, 9-8 (7-4) for the sweep and commanding 3-0 lead for the Pirates.
Tellez pushed Ventura to the brink of victory with a one and love triumph at No. 4 singles. RCC salvaged a point with a win at No. 2 singles before Ploquin clinched the victory for the Pirates with a 6-14, 6-2 win at No. 6 singles. Emery and Abreu were also up a set at Nos. 1 and 3 singles, respectfully when victory was achieved.
This is the fourth time in the past five seasons, and the 12th time overall that Ventura College's men's tennis team will play in the regional final. The Pirates will host No. 3 Glendale, an upset winner over No. 1 Irvine Valley, in the Southern California Regional Final on Saturday April 20 at 2:00 pm at the VC Tennis Center.
Ventura 5, Riverside 1
Doubles
1. Cody Ray Emery/Lucas Abreu (VC) def. Emilio Real/Matias Almeida-Ponce (RCC), 9-8 (9-7)
2. Rafael Matias/Julian Tellez (VC) def. Lance Lao/Michael Chang (RCC), 8-4
3. Robinson Pelluault/Edgar Ploquin (VC) def. Raphael Delente/Austin Harvill (RCC), 9-8 (7-4)
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
Singles
1. Emery (VC) vs. Real (RCC), 6-3, 2-1, dnf
2. Matias (VC) lost to Chang (RCC), 6-1, 6-1
3. Abreu (VC) vs. Delente (RCC), 6-3, 4-2, dnf
4. Tellez (VC) def. Almeida-Ponce (RCC), 6-1, 6-0
5. Pelluault (VC) vs. Harvill (RCC) 2-6, 3-1, dnf
6. Ploquin (VC) def. Lao (RCC), 6-1, 6-2
Order of Finish: 4, 2, 6