Hoover can’t tame Tigers
NORTHEAST GLENDALE — There’s a chance that the Hoover High girls’ tennis team might qualify for the postseason. To accomplish that feat, the Tornadoes will need to finish among the top four teams in what’s shaping up to be a wide-open Pacific League.
When not participating in a league match, Hoover Coach Julie Hoppe would like for the Tornadoes to compete against difficult opposing squads. The Tornadoes had that opportunity Wednesday against visiting Westridge.
In a match that began in sunlight and ended in moonlight, Hoover suffered a 13-5 defeat.
Hoover dropped to 2-3, while Westridge improved to 3-1 following the four-hour contest that featured three tiebreakers.
“We want to play [nonleague] teams that are better than us to get us ready for league,” said Hoppe, whose team is 1-2 in league. “We played better [Wednesday] than we did [Tuesday] when we lost to Burroughs.
“Westridge is always good competition and they are stronger than us.”
Hoover won three singles sets, including two from No. 1 Arpe Bagumyan. Bagumyan posted 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 victories.
The Tornadoes also saw No. 2 singles player Meghedi Mooradian earn a 7-5 victory.
Hoover received one doubles win apiece from the tandems of Dina Hovsepian and Collette Hamamah and Annie Lee and Karmela Castro. Hovsepian and Hamamah teamed up for a 6-4 victory and Lee and Castro earned a 6-4 win.
The Tornadoes competed without No. 3 singles player Kiso Adzhemyan. Hoppe said Adzhemyan recently injured her foot.
Westridge No. 1 singles player Maral Tavitian swept her sets, 6-1, 6-0, 6-0, to help the Tigers win their second match in a row. The Tigers’ No. 3 doubles team of Katie Cooper and Amanda Matthiessen also swept, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.
Hoppe praised the performances turned in by Bagumyan and Mooradian, who transferred to Hoover last spring.
“Arpe and Meghedi amaze me with their competitiveness,” Hoppe said. “It’s starting to wear off on the other girls, and that’s something I’m happy about.”
