Vaqs snap losing skid
NORTHEAST GLENDALE — In the midst of a four-match losing streak, nobody on the Glendale Community College men’s tennis team panicked.
Playing arguably its toughest nonconference schedule in five years, the Vaqueros came up short against respectable programs like Mount San Jacinto and Cypress colleges and NCAA Division III Occidental College.
“It didn’t bother me or my players,” Glendale college Coach Bob MacKay said after the Vaqueros snapped their four-match losing streak Friday morning with a 9-0 nonconference victory against Victor Valley. “We have guys who can compete, prepare themselves and also be able to coach themselves out there on the court.
“We have nine new players. Is that a plus? We’ll see once we get through the season.”
The Vaqueros (2-4) lost only eight games against Victor Valley (0-4) in a match that took less than two hours to complete. They received singles victories from Alex Sarkissian, Trevor Campbell, Stephan Mamann, Grayson Frazier, Dro Mahmoudi and Eric Khanlarian.
Sarkissian, Campbell, Frazier and Khanlarian picked up a 6-0, 6-0 wins. Mamann earned a 6-1, 6-1 win and Mahmoudi came through with a 6-1, 6-2 victory.
In doubles, Sarkissian and Campbell, Mike Astorian and Frazier and Chris Simpson and Mahmoudi picked up 8-1 wins.
“I think our record is deceiving,” said MacKay, whose team opened the season with a victory against Mount San Antonio College before falling to Mount San Jacinto, Occidental, Saddleback and Cypress colleges. “We lost two matches at 5-4 and 6-3 in which we were right there and we had guys who were sick.
“We have a good team and I can’t complain about where we are at. We want to gain something from the schedule we are playing so that we’ll be ready for conference.”
Glendale will begin Western State Conference competition Feb. 24 at Santa Barbara City College. Before that match, Glendale will compete in nonconference matches against host Cerritos on Tuesday and visiting Fullerton on Thursday.
MacKay said Cerritos and Fullerton should tell the Vaqueros where they stand entering the Santa Barbara match.
“Cerritos will definitely be a good test for us with some quality players and Fullerton will be a last good tune-up,” MacKay said.
