Women’s tennis advances to regional finals
On April 21 in San Luis Obispo, No. 3 Saddleback upset No. 2 Cuesta College, 5-4, to advance to the So Cal Regional Finals.
After losing in No. 1 and No. 2 singles, Clara Kearney and Erika Kagawa brought the match back to even at No. 3 and No. 4 singles, respectively. Michelle Neville failed to score one point at No. 5 singles. At No. 6 singles, Carrisa Fleming won a battle to tie the match at three each. Fleming lost her first set 4-6, but rebounded with sets of 6-2 and 6-2.
In doubles, Saddleback secured the first team point as the team of Kristina Drzymkowski and Rylee Stowell earned a victory with sets of 6-4, 4-6, and 6-2.
Kagawa and Neville fell in two sets, 6-4 and 6-4, at No. 2 doubles to even the match at five each. At No. 3 doubles, Kearney and Nichole St. Jean secured the final hard-fought point for the Gauchos to advance. After dropping the first set in a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-4), Kearney and St. Jean won the second set in another tiebreaker 7-6 (7-1), and took the third set 6-3 for the victory.
Saddleback took on No. 1 College of the Desert on Tuesday, April 28, in the So Cal Regional Final. The winner advances to the state championship.