The VC men's tennis team posted two victories on Saturday in Bakersfield to retain the Pfister Cup at the North South Challenge. The Pirates defeated Fresno 7-1 in the morning match before shutting out Chabot 7-0 in the afternoon affair. Julian Tellez and Edgar Ploquin captured two doubles wins together and also each won twice in singles in the two matches for Ventura (13-6, 5-0).
In Saturday's opener, the Pirates easily disposed of Fresno City College 7-1. Cooper Rowlands and Tiebe Verschaeve won VC's first point with a 6-2 triumph in No. 3 doubles before Tellez and Ploquin made it 2-0 with a 6-2 win at the No. 1 doubles slot. Robinson Pelluault and Leo Pham-Kobayashi dropped a narrow 5-7 decision in No. 2 doubles, pulling the Rams back to 2-1 entering singles play.
Tellez produced a love, love triumph at No. 1 singles and Pelluault captured a love and one decision at No. 2. Pham Kobayashi clinched the Pirate victory with a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles and Ploquin won his No. 3 match, 6-3, 6-4. Rowlands won VC's final point of the day, 7-5, 6-2 at no. 5 and Verschaeve was up a set in the No. 6 slot when play was suspended.
Ventura then defeated Chabot 7-0 in the afternoon match to retain the Hank Pfister Cup for another year. Pelluault and Pham-Kobayashi began the shutout with a 6-0 sweep in No. 3 doubles, followed by Lucas Abreau and Rafael Matias' victory at No. 1 doubles, 6-3. Tellez and Ploquin put the Pirates ahead 3-0 with a 6-2 win at No. 2 doubles.
Pham Kobayashi recorded a love, love triumph at No. 6 singles and Pelluault clinched the win over the Gladiators with a love, love victory at No. 4. Tellez captured the No. 3 singles contest, 6-4, 6-2 before Ploquin won in the No. 5 slot, 6-1, 7-5. Matias was up a set and down 6-5 in the second at No. 1 while Abreau was tied a one set each at No. 2 when play was completed.
VC, with the Western State Conference championship in hand, will close the regular season on Thursday March 28 hosting Bakersfield at the Pierpont Racquet Club.
Ventura 7, Fresno 1
Doubles
1. Julian Tellez/Edgar Ploquin (VC) def. Brett Castro/Matt Coehlo (FCC), 6-2
2. Robinson Pelluault/Leo Pham-Kobayashi (VC) lost to Ian Mosley/Chenchimin Lee (FCC), 5-7
3. Cooper Rowlands/Tiebe Verschaeve (VC) def. Adam Peltola/Joshua Rengstorf (FCC), 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles
1. Tellez (VC) def. Mosley (FCC), 6-0, 6-0
2. Pelluault (VC) def. Coehlo (FCC), 6-0, 6-1
3. Ploquin (VC) def. Castro (FC), 6-3, 6-4
4. Pham-Kobayashi (VC) def. Rengstorf (FCC), 6-1, 6-2
5. Rowlands (VC) def. Peltola (FCC), 7-5, 6-2
6. Verschaeve (VC) vs. Lee (FCC), 7-6, 4-4, DNF
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 4, 3, 5
Ventura 7, Chabot 0
Doubles
1. Lucas Abreau/Rafael Matias (VC) def. Darian Quinonez/Elijah Cho (CC), 6-3
2. Julian Tellez/Edgar Ploquin (VC) def. Arav Waghray/Josh Fralick (CC), 6-2
3. Robinson Pelluault/Leo Pham-Kobayashi(VC) def. Jason Wu/Visshva Anto (CC), 6-0
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles
1. Matias (VC) vs. Quinonez (CC), 6-0, 5-6, DNF
2. Abreau (VC) vs. Waghray (CC), 6-1, 5-7, DNF
3. Tellez (VC) def. Cho (CC), 6-4, 6-2
4. Pelluault (VC) def. Wu (CC), 6-0, 6-0
5. Ploquin (VC) def. Nicholas Saquilayan (CC), 6-1, 7-5
6. Pham-Kobayashi (VC) def. Anto (CC), 6-0, 6-0
Order of Finish: 6, 4, 3, 5