Locals on to semifinals
PASADENA — Girls’ tennis singles players Emily Borkowski and Kathy Henry made quick work of their opponents during the first two rounds of the Pacific League Tournament on Monday afternoon. So fast that neither player lost a game despite battling warm temperatures.
Borkowski of Crescenta Valley High and Henry of Burroughs proved to be among the best singles players throughout the regular season and are now looking to further prove that throughout the two-day tournament.
“I’ve been playing well and I’ve stayed consistent,” said Borkowski, the No. 2 seed who posted an 8-0 win against No. 15 Taylor White of Pasadena and 10th-seeded Gabrielle Markari of Burroughs at Pasadena High. “I don’t want to be cocky, but I expect to play well and do that point by point.”
Borkowski will meet teammate Karen Ataian, the No. 3 seed, in a semifinal match at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the same venue.
Henry, a first-year player and the No. 4 seed, registered 8-0 victories against 13th-seeded Gabrielle Schneid of Burbank and fifth-seeded Meg Mouradian of Hoover.
Henry, who previously competed on the school’s girls’ volleyball team, had little trouble dispatching her opponents.
“It just about being able to go out there and keep my focus,” said Henry, who will take on top-seeded Francis Dean of Arcadia in the other semifinal match. “I got most of my first serves in and my backhand and forehand shots we both on.
“I had to go out there and take each point on its own. I expect another good match [Wednesday].”
Ataian opened with an 8-1 win against 14th-seeded Alicia Singhamate of Burroughs. She then notched an 8-0 victory against sixth-seeded Elizabeth Sanchez of Burbank.
A pair of area doubles teams advanced to Wednesday’s semifinals, as Viktoriya Shumakova and Jackie Dilanchyan of Crescenta Valley and Ashley Basco and Meredy Gharabegi of Burbank made it through the first day of the tournament.
Shumakova and Dilanchyan, the No. 3 seed, began Monday with an 8-1 victory against 14th-seeded Diana Karapetyan and Kiso Adzhemyan of Hoover and then worked together to net an 8-1 win against sixth-seeded Christine Gao and Janice Kim of Arcadia.
Basco and Gharabegi, the second seed, began with an 8-1 victory against 15th-seeded Aileen Canaria and Chriza Timagos of Burroughs. They then earned an 8-4 victory against seventh-seeded Sydney Farzadkish and Sally Jo of Crescenta Valley.
“[Basco and Gharabegi] did just enough to get through,” Burbank Coach Loi Phan said. “Those were their sixth and seventh matches playing together and there’s not a whole lot of chemistry between them.
“I know they can still play better. I expect it to be close Wednesday.”
Shumakova and Dilanchyan will take on Basco and Gharabegi in a semifinal match Wednesday.
Other area singles players to earn first-round wins were Christine Garabetian of Crescenta Valley, Mouradian, Sanchez and Markari. The eight-seeded Garabetian posted an 8-2 win against ninth-seeded Emily Levin of Glendale. Mouradian picked up an 8-5 victory against 12th-seeded Alexa Gregorian of Crescenta Valley, Sanchez bested 11th-seeded Abby Kelley of Burroughs, 8-4, and Markari earned a 9-7 upset victory against seventh-seeded Petra Beglarian of Hoover.
Other area doubles teams that recorded first-round wins were Celicia McLean and Rochelle Lingat of Glendale and Fazadkisk and Jo. McLean and Lingat, the eighth seed, picked up an 8-4 win against ninth-seeded Dana Gibson and Brianne Waller of Burbank. Farzadkish and Jo began with a 9-7 victory against 10th-seeded Miyon Kim and Veronica Mendoza of Burbank.
