Agoura Avoids Being Caught in Bind

Agoura High held on to a late lead by splitting the final two sets en route to a 10-8 victory over Thousand Oaks in a Marmonte League boys’ tennis match Friday at Agoura.

Agoura (11-3, 8-2 in league play) moved into a second-place tie with the Lancers (13-3, 8-2), who fell out of a first-place tie with Westlake.

“It’s a huge win for us; it’s awesome,” said the Chargers’ Amir Nejad, who teamed with Dave Cox at No. 3 doubles for a match-clinching 6-4 victory over Thousand Oaks’ No. 1 team of Willie Mullin and Jason Korniski.

“I have no problem being in those kind of matches,” Cox said. “I was just glad I could help, though.”

Although Thousand Oaks trailed, 9-7, entering the last two sets, the Lancers held a 72-66 edge in games and would have won had the match ended in a 9-9 tie.

Thousand Oaks was hurt by the absence of No. 1 player Philip Sheng. The sophomore is in Costa Rica this week with a USTA junior traveling team.

Without Sheng, the Lancers were forced to juggle their lineup. No. 2 player Andrew Lieu swept his sets at No. 1 singles, and Serge Mitrofanov, who normally plays doubles, was moved to No. 2 singles. Mitrofanov won two of three sets, but Thousand Oaks’ doubles lineup suffered, losing eight of nine sets.

“It was a close match, and it’s disappointing to lose, but it was our fault,” said Darius Aimiri, a doubles player.

The teams were tied at three sets after the first round of round-robin competition, and at 6-6 after the second round.

Agoura broke a 7-7 tie with singles victories by No. 1 player Dustin Erb and the No. 2 doubles team of Steve Moses and Ben Hsiang.

Erb rallied from a 4-1 deficit to beat Mitrofanov, 7-5, in his last set.

Moses and Hsiang beat David Hsiung and Geronimo Cebrero, 6-3, to force Thousand Oaks into playing for a tie in the last two sets.