Burbank girls’ tennis upends rival Burroughs

BURROUGHS HIGH — Firmly entrenched in second place in the Pacific League, the Burbank High girls’ tennis team is not letting up against any league opponents, especially squads it has already beaten.

That includes cross-town rival Burroughs.

Led by a singles sweep, the Bulldogs had little trouble turning back the visiting Indians on Tuesday, earning a 16-2 victory to take the two-match season series with Burroughs.

Burbank (10-1, 6-1 in league) posted a 17-1 win against the Indians (1-7, 1-6) in the teams’ first meeting Sept 6.

The win keeps the Bulldogs in second place behind Arcadia, the defending league champion and No. 2-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division II.

“Being a senior, it would mean a lot to me and the other seniors to finish second in league this year,” Burbank doubles player Dana Gibson said. “And to finish behind a team like Arcadia would be great. Arcadia is a very good team.”

The Apaches notched a 13-5 win against the Bulldogs on Sept. 13. The teams face one another again next Tuesday at Arcadia.

Hope for an upset against Arcadia might have taken a step back when sophomore singles player Lilit Vardanyan suffered an injury to her right wrist two weeks ago. Vardanyan said she is getting an MRI in her wrist in the next few days.

“Lilit had been playing well at singles the whole season before the injury,” Burbank Coach Loi Phan said. “She only lost one set all year. But Elizabeth [Sanchez] has stepped in nicely at singles and she has been going a good job.”

Sanchez was part of a singles trio that won all of its nine sets Tuesday, dropping just five games in the process. Ashley Basco led the way at No. 1, winning her three sets by 6-0 scores. Meredy Gharabegi, at No. 2, went 6-2, 6-0, 6-0, and Sanchez — who was moved up from doubles — went 6-2, 6-0, 6-1.

In doubles, Aja Locke teamed up with Gabrielle Markari to win at No. 1, 6-4. Markari then gave way to Brianne Waller, and she and Locke completed the sweep, 6-4, 6-2.

At No. 2, Gibson and Veronica Mendoza won two, 6-0, 6-0.

The only sets won by Burroughs came in doubles, as the duo of Maria Garcia and Amanda Trinh had a 6-2 win and Chiza and Sarah Han won, 6-4.

“Our girls seemed a lot less nervous this time compared to the last time we played Burbank,” Burroughs Coach Roy Bernhardt said. “I thought they were a lot more calm today.”