Women’s badminton: Starting out

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - The Orange Coast College women’s badminton team will

remember its first match as a loss, a great loss of energy. But, the

Pirates still found fun in playing San Diego Mesa, the defending state

champions.

OCC’s badminton team opened its inaugural season with a 16-5 decision

to the visiting Olympians at Coast on Friday afternoon.

“I’m sure some of these gals aren’t going to be able to walk

tomorrow,” OCC Coach Barbara Bond said. “I can’t wait to hear their

comments on Tuesday. The kids, in two hours, really saw what the sport

was all about.”

OCC’s top player, Cynthia Tran, led the Pirates and won three of her

four matches, while Rana Duszynski earned a first-round win at No. 3

singles.

“I was really nervous because I have never played before,” said

Duszynski, who also plays for OCC’s women’s volleyball team. “Starting

out here with the team was the first time I really hit a birdie. We all

did good for our first real game.

We’re really glad we have Cynthia. Obviously, she is our big gun.”

Tina Nguyen, who also plays for the Pirates’ volleyball team, is in

her first year with the sport. As is Kristen Hamman and Becky Lake, both

of whom played for Bond’s women’s soccer team in the fall.

Bond hired assistant Todd Aubin to help build the program. He has been

telling the Pirates to have fun in their first year. But, he, along with

Bond, are pressing the Pirates to learn quickly and challenge the

opposition.

OCC hosts Irvine Valley Wednesday.

“I can’t say that I lost any sleep over it,” Bond said of the Pirates’

opener. “But, I was really excited about it. I think we’re going to be

pretty competitive.”

NONCONFERENCE

San Diego Mesa 16, Orange Coast 5

Singles - Tran (OCC) def. Takahashi, 11-1, 11-1; Manzana (SDM) def.

Huynh, 11-0, 11-1; Duszynski (OCC) def. Onevathana, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9;

Tiffany Nguyen (SDM) def. Tina Nguyen, 11-1, 11-3; McMahon (SDM) def.

Nielsen, 11-4, 11-7; C. Nguyen (SDM) def. Hamman, 11-6, 13-12.

Doubles - Tran-Huynh (OCC) def. Tiffany Nguyen-Ong, 15-6, 17-14;

Manzano-Takahashi (SDM) def. Duszynski-Tina Nguyen, 15-2, 15-2;

Onevathana/C. Nguyen (SDM) def. Lake-Marinos, 15-7, 15-2.

Singles (second round) - Tran (OCC) def. Manzano, 11-1, 11-9;

Takahashi (SDM) def. Huynh, 11-6, 11-1; Tiffany Nguyen (SDM) def.

Duszynski, 11-0, 11-0; Onevathana (SDM) def. Tina Nguyen, 11-13, 11-2,

11-3; C. Nguyen (SDM) def. Nielsen, 11-6, 11-6; McMahon (SDM) def.

Hamman, 11-5, 11-9.

Doubles (second round) - Manzano-Takahashi (SDM) def. Tran-Huynh,

15-5, 15-5; Tiffany Nguyen-Ong (SDM) def. Duszynski-Tina Nguyen, 15-12,

15-12.