The Cerritos College women’s tennis team got their season off to a solid start on Tuesday, as they handed Palomar College an 8-1 defeat in a non-conference match. The team will now host Orange Coast at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday.

    Leading the team in the win were a trio of sophomores that held down the top three spots in singles action. Annika You (John Marshall HS/Cal Poly Pomona) registered a 6-2, 6-0 victory in the #1 spot, while Sonia Gutierrez (Norwalk HS), the defending South Coast Conference singles champion, posted a 6-3, 6-1 win. As for Steffanie Mendez (Bellflower HS), she had little trouble in winning her match, 6-1, 6-0. Freshman Cristina Sanchez (La Mirada HS) won, 6-0, 6-2 in the #5 spot, while the Comets forfeited the #6 match, as well as the #3 doubles match.

    In doubles play, You and Gutierrez won easily, 8-1, with Gonzalez and freshman Shamariah DeRojas (La Mirada HS) outlasting their opponent, winning, 8-6.

Singles 

Annika You (CERR) def. Holley Lorber (PAL), 6-2, 6-0
Sonia Gutierrez (CERR) def. Rebecca O'Neill (PAL), 6-3, 6-1
Steffanie Mendez (CERR) def. Maggie Deitering (PAL), 6-1, 6-0
Shoko Hachiya (PAL) def. Joanna Gonzalez (CERR), 7-6 (7-2), 6-1
Cristina Sanchez (CERR) Skye Meyer (PAL), 6-0, 6-2
Tania Garcia (CERR) won by default

Doubles

Annika You/Sonia Gutierrez (CERR) def. Holley Lorber/Rebecca O'Neill (PAL), 8-1
Joanna Gonzalez/Shamariah DeRojas (CERR) def. Maggie Deitering/Shoko Hachiya (PAL), 8-6
Steffanie Mendez/Cristina Sanchez (CERR) won by default