Cerritos College sophomore singles player Annika You (John Marshall HS) defeated sophomore teammate Steffanie Mendez (Bellflower HS), 6-2, 6-2 in the quarterfinals and then eliminated Kim Stern (Long Beach City), 6-0, 6-1 to advance to the championship match of the South Coast Conference Tennis Championships at Long Beach City College on Thursday. You will now square off against her teammate at Cal Poly Pomona, Courtney Petero (LBCC), who defeated freshman Shamariah DeRojas (La Mirada HS), 6-0, 6-1 in the other semi-final. In their three meetings this season, Petero defeated You the first two times they faced each other, while You registered a 1-6, 7-6 (5), 10-6 win in their last meeting.

    In doubles action, You and sophomore Sonia Gutierrez (Norwalk HS) reached the championships when they beat teammates Mendez and freshman Cristina Sanchez (La Mirada HS), 6-3, 6-3. The will now face Petero and Kim Stern of LBCC in the championships. The two teams have only faced each other with Petero and Stern posting a win. In their other two meetings, You was teamed with a different partner, while Petero had a different partner in their third meeting. But, in all matches, Petero and her partner defeated You and her doubles partner.

    The tournament’s defending singles champion, Gutierrez, was forced to default out of her quarterfinal match against DeRojas, who was then defeated by Petero, 6-0, 6-1 in the semi-finals.

    Women’s championship action begins on Friday at 9:00 a.m., with the singles finals followed by the doubles championship.