It's always uncertain what kind of team you're going to be facing when taking on a school from out of state. On Tuesday, Cerritos College women's tennis team used their home court advantage to post a 7-2 non-conference win over Mesa (AZ) CC. The T-Birds (5-4) had not played in over a week, but were coming off three close wins in a row. The Falcons (15-3) will now host Long Beach City College in a South Coast Conference match at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday.
After taking two of the three doubles matches, Cerritos was forced to make a lineup adjustment when freshman Anastasia Khomyachenko (Sochi, Russia) was unable to continue after battling through an illness in her doubles win. Freshman Mariia Yatsenko (School 328, Ukraine) moved into the #2 singles position and won her third straight match by a 6-0, 6-0 score. She also teamed with freshman Taylor Heath (Cerritos HS) for a doubles win, while Heath fought back from a 5-2 deficit in the first set of her singles match to win 7-6. She finished off her match with a 6-4 decision.
Sophomore Amanda Del Cid (Libra Academy HS) moved into the lineup for singles and handed Sydeny Madsen a 6-1, 6-4 setback in the #6 position, while sophomore Merli Alcasid (Gahr HS) recorded a 6-1, 6-2 win in the #5 match. Sophomore Stef Flores (Golden Valley Charter HS) closed out the day with a 6-3, 6-4 win in the #3 position. She also teamed with Khomyachenko for an 8-3 doubles victory.
DOUBLES
Taylor Heath/Mariia Yatsenko (CERR) def. Rachael Eshillonu/Vanessa Mitrica (MESA), 8-3
Stef Flores/Anastasia Khomyachenko (CERR) def. Desiree Curiel/Michelle Fournier (MESA), 8-3
Sheridan Skarda/Sydney Madsen (MESA) def. Merli Alcasid/Katia Brambila (CERR), 8-2
SINGLES
Taylor Heath (CERR) def. Rachael Eshillonu (MESA), 7-6, 6-4
Mariia Yatsenko (CERR) def. Michelle Fournier (MESA), 6-0, 6-0
Stef Flores (CERR) def. Sheridan Skarda (MESA), 6-3. 6-4
Desiree Curiel (MESA) def. Katia Brambila (CERR), 6-2, 6-2
Merli Alcasid (CERR) def. Vanessa Mitrica (MESA), 6-1, 6-2
Amanda Del Cid (CERR) def. Sydney Madsen (MESA), 6-1, 6-4
Photos by Daryl Peterson
