Facing their final NCAA team of the season, the Cerritos College women's tennis team pulled out a 5-4 win over Division III Wellesley (MA) College on Thursday. The Blue (8-5) were looking to complete a 5-0 California trip, but were tripped up by the Falcons (20-1), who won their 18th match in a row. The team will close out their South Coast Conference schedule next Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. when they take on Mt. San Antonio College in a match that will be played at Citrus College.

The Falcons took a 2-1 team lead after doubles, as the top team of sophomore Lisa Suzuki (Fujimigaoka, Japan/Seward County (KS) CC) and freshman Kseniia Prokopchuk (School 45, Ukraine) pulled out an 8-6 decision, while sophomore Petra Such (Illyes Gyula, Hungary) and freshman Moa Lindstrom (Dragonskolans Elitidrottgymnasium, Sweden) registered an 8-2 victory.

It was a battle to the finish, with the Falcons getting to the five team points necessary to earn the win with one match still in progress. Holding a 4-3 team lead, sophomore Itzi Torres (ITESM CEM, Mexico/Kansas Wesleyan University) clinched the team victory with her 6-1, 6-4 victory over Sojin Ki in the #5 singles match. Prokopchuk handled Lizzy Kong, 6-1, 6-1 in their match, while Such pulled out a three-set win, defeating Selina Peng, 6-0, 3-6 6-1. 

Lindstrom was unable to close out against Korina Hernandez in the #4 match, as she fell, 6-2, 4-6, 6-10, while Suzuki suffered a straight set loss in the #1 position. The doubles team of Torres and sophomore Diviana Bravo (Rosa de Jesus Cordero, Ecuador) suffered their first loss of the season, 8-6.

SINGLES
Justine Huang (WC) def. Lisa Suzuki (CERR), 6-3, 6-3
Petra Such (CERR) def. Selina Peng (WC), 6-0, 3-6, 6-1
Kseniia Prokopchuk (CERR) def. Lizzy Kong (WC), 6-1, 6-1
Korina Hernandez (WC) def. Moa Lindstrom (CERR), 2-6, 6-4, 10-6
Itzi Torres (CERR) def. Sojin Ki (WC), 6-1, 6-4
Lily Chu (WC) def. Diviana Bravo (CERR), 6-4, 6-1

DOUBLES
Lisa Suzuki/Kseniia Prokopchuk (CERR) def. Justine Huang/Selina Peng (WC), 8-6
Petra Such/Moa Lindstrom (CERR) def. Korina Hernandez/Abigail Schleichkorn (WC), 8-2
Lizzy Kong/Lily Chu (WC) def. Itzi Torres/Diviana Bravo (CERR), 8-6

Photos by Daryl Peterson