Even though the Cerritos College women's tennis team was defeated, 8-1 by College of the Desert, the final score was not indicative of how close the result could have gone the other way. The Falcons (8-3) fell to 3-2 in South Coast Conference play with the loss to the Roadrunners, but three of the singles matches went to three sets, while two of the three doubles matches came down to the wire. The team will now host Victor Valley College in a conference match at 2:00 p.m. on Thrusday.

In all three of the singles matches that went three sets, Cerritos won the first set. In the #2 and #3 singles competitions, freshmen Stef Flores (Golden Valley Charter HS) and Nina Pacquing (Cabrillo HS) opened with 6-3 wins. But Flores dropped the second set, 6-4 to Laura Arruda, who carried that momentum on for a 6-2 win in the third set. As for Pacquing, she was defeated, 6-1 in the second set by Leticia Viera and then fell, 6-4 in the deciding set. Sophomore Natali Perez (Lakewood HS) posted a 6-4 win in the first set against Karina Braz in the #5 match, but then lost the next two sets, 6-2, 6-2.

Sophomore Rianne Ilagan (Bellflower HS) remained undefeated in singles play, as she registered a 7-6(4), 6-4 win in the #4 position against Barbara Haikai. At the top and bottom of the ladder, sophomores Samantha Judan (Bishop Montgomery HS) and Staci Gonzales (Vista del Lago HS) were swept in two sets.

The doubles matches were equally as close, with Ilagan and Perez losing an 8-7(5) decision in the #2 position, while Gonzales and sophomore Jessica Alcayde (Cabrillo HS) suffered their first loss of the season, 8-6.

SINGLES

Leticia Dos Santos (COD) def. Samantha Judan (CERR), 6-2, 6-2
Laura Arruda (COD) def. Stef Flores (CERR), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
Leticia Viera (COD) def. Nina Pacquing (CERR), 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
Rianne Ilagan (CERR) def. Barbara Haikai (COD), 7-6(4), 6-4
Karina Braz (COD) def. Natali Perez (CERR), 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
Violette Mollova (COD) def. Staci Gonzales (CERR), 6-1, 6-1

DOUBLES

Leticia Dos Santos/Laura Arruda (COD) def. Samantha Judan/Stef Flores (CERR), 8-0
Leticia Viera/Barbara Haikai (COD) def. Rianne Ilagan/Natali Perez (CERR), 8-7(5)
Karina Braz/Violette Mollova (COD) def. Staci Gonzales/Jessica Alcayde (CERR), 8-6