The Pirates' men's tennis team made it close, but could not quite get the victory Wednesday afternoon, falling to Cal Lutheran 5-4 in Thousand Oaks. Ventura had a 4-3 advantage with two singles matches remaining but could not hold on against the NCAA Division III school. VC has now played six matches against all levels of four-year schools this season with the lack of community college competition available due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Yuya Koide and Ryan Lam got the Pirates off to a good start by claiming their No. 1 doubles match, 8-2. Cal Lutheran cam back, however, to win the next to doubles contests to take a 2-1 lead into singles play.
Bledar Gashi evened the match with a one and love victory in No. 6 singles before Brodie Sodersten fell at No. 2 singles to VC alumnus Corey Karen, 6-3, 6-4. Lam leveled the contest once again with a three-set win in No. 4 singles, 6-0, 4-6, 6-2, and Eduardo Gorgonio Criscuolo put Ventura ahead with a 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 triumph in the No. 5 slot. The Pirates could not hold o0n, however, dropping the Nos. 1 and 3 singles matches, respectively, in close fashion.
VC (1-6) will make their final appearance of the Covid-shortened 2021 campaign on Friday April 30 with matches against Modesto and Fresno City colleges in Fresno.
Ventura 4, Cal Lutheran 5
Doubles
1. Koide/Lam (VC) def. Karen/Bear (CLU), 8-2
2. Sodersten/Madarang (VC) lost to Ryan Murphy/Lassangoye (CLU), 8-6
3. Ethan Wang/Tomas Cabanillas (VC) lost to Ben Vincze/Yaghoubi (CLU), 8-7
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
Singles
1. Yuya Koide (VC) lost to Charlie Spina (CLU), 6-2, 7-5
2. Brodie Sodersten (VC) lost to Corey Karen (CLU), 6-3, 6-4
3. Regnar Madarang (VC) lost to Darvel Lossangoye (CLU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1
4. Ryan Lam (VC) def. Sean Yaghoubi (CLU), 6-0, 4-6, 6-2
5. Eduardo Gorgonio Criscuolo (VC) def. Shawn Rothermel (CLU), 7-5, 1-6, 6-4
6. Bledar Gashi (VC) def. Ryen Wagner (CLU), 6-1, 6-0
Order of Finish: 6, 2, 4, 5, 1, 3