Artunian Leads Woodbridge Past Dana Hills

The Woodbridge boys’ tennis team, led by Adam Artunian, showed why it is top-ranked in the county and defending section champions by soundly defeating No. 2 Dana Hills, 12-6, in a nonleague match Thursday.

Artunian, who had surgery earlier in the day to have an infected blood blister removed from the ball of his right foot, played despite doctor’s orders. And for the second time in two years, he defeated Dana Hills senior Brandon Fallon, ranked ninth in 18s in Southern California.

“The doctor told me to stay off it for a few days,” Artunian said after the match. “But I told him I had a big match and he knew there was no way he could stop me from playing. It hurts really bad right now, I’m just trying to walk on the side of my foot.”

The final-round match was on serve until Artunian, limping badly between points, tied the score at 3-3, and then broke Fallon and went on to win three in a row for a 6-3 victory. Artunian finished the day, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.

“I’ve got his number,” Artunian said, one of only two players to defeat Fallon last season. “He hasn’t beaten me recently, so that might be in his mind.”

The first round ended 3-3, but the Warriors (7-0) swept in doubles to take a 7-5 lead.

In the final round, Brandon Shainfeld and Greg Levy gave Woodbridge an 8-5 lead with a 6-0 victory over Brian Liebman and Elliott Fisher. Reza Farokhpay and Tyler Call clinched a tie with a 6-3 victory over Reid Speigl and Luke Gattis. Then Artunian put the match away.

Shainfeld and Levy swept their matches, 6-1, 6-0, 6-1, and Farokhpay and Call swept, 7-5, 6-3, 6-3. The Dolphins fell to 6-1.