Rebs fall to Tigers
PASADENA — During the first three weeks of the season, nobody has defeated the Westridge girls’ tennis team. Flintridge Prep looked to change that in its Prep League opener Monday afternoon.
While Flintridge Prep received three-set sweeps from one of its singles players and doubles teams, it wasn’t enough in a 10-8 loss at Muir High.
“I could see those who stepped up and those who didn’t for us,” said Flintridge Prep Coach Ron Catano, whose team dropped to 4-3 and will meet Westridge (7-0, 3-0 in league) in a rematch at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 13 at Scholl Canyon Tennis Center. “In the future, I now know what to expect.”
Westridge won six singles sets without losing a game, providing it with a cushion should the teams have deadlocked at nine.
Westridge Coach Jerry Rivera got two wins apiece in singles from Cameron Marsh, Maral Tavatian and Lena Tavatian to turn back the Rebels.
“I think with our singles players, they were very determined and you could see that when they didn’t lose any games,” Rivera said. “We came in expecting a close match and we are grinders.”
The Rebels got a sweep from freshman Andrea Kevakian, 6-0, 6-2, 6-3. They also got a sweep in doubles from Abby Letts and Young-In Kim, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
Marsh won two sets, 6-0, 6-0, for the Tigers, who got two wins apiece from Maral Tavatian (6-0, 6-0) and Lena Tavatian (6-0, 6-0). The Tigers also got two wins from their top doubles team of Erin Wong and Erin McDonald (6-1, 6-0).
Westridge also got one doubles win from Erica Byun and Amanda Matthiessen (6-3) and from Julia Matthiessen and Eileen Kwon (6-2). Byun and Amanda Matthiessen clinched the win for Westridge, which held an 8-4 lead entering the final round.
“In doubles, our No. 1 team kept rolling with their power,” Rivera said. “That helped us establish momentum throughout doubles.”
Flintridge Prep received two wins from its No. 1 doubles tandem of Kira Lee, the reigning All-Area Singles Player of the Year, and Roya Gheissari (6-2, 6-0).
“We knew Westridge is a good team and they would be hard to beat,” Catano said.
Flintridge Prep competed again without No. 2 singles player Jenise Vargas. Vargas, a reigning All-Area pick, has missed all of Flintridge Prep’s matches because of a left-wrist injury. Catano said it wasn’t clear when Vargas would return.
