Looking to make quick work of Irvine Valley College in their non-conference match on Tuesday afternoon, the Cerritos College women’s tennis team started by sweeping the Lasers in doubles competition and then went on to win four of the six singles matches for a 7-2 win. The victory improves the Falcons record to 2-1 on the year, as they travel to Glendale College on Thursday for a 2:00 p.m. non-conference match.

    Although the doubles sores appear as though the Falcons won handily, they had their hands full at times during the match. At the top sophomores Annika You (John Marshall HS/Cal Poly Pomona) and Sonia Gutierrez (Norwalk HS) held off Michelle LaVonne and Carli Churm for an 8-3 win, while freshmen Joanna Gonzalez (Lynwood HS) and Shamariah DeRojas (La Mirada HS) finished off with an 8-4 win. The duo of sophomore Steffanie Mendez (Bellflower HS) and freshman Cristina Sanchez (La Mirada HS) posted an 8-3 win in the #3 spot.

    In singles play, You found matters frustrating in the #1 position against LaVonne, who spent the match lobbing most of her shots, hoping You would falter. It seemed to work in the first set, with You losing, 4-6, but she rebounded and used her overall skills to finish off the match, 6-1, 6-1. Gutierrez (6-1, 6-3) and Mendez (6-4, 6-1) fared well in the next two positions, while freshman Tania Garcia (Huntington Park HS) also won, 6-2, 6-2 in the #4 spot.

Singles

Annika You (CERR) def. Michelle LaVonne (IVC), 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
Sonia Gutierrez (CERR) def. Emily Davies (IVC), 6-1, 6-3
Steffanie Mendez (CERR) def. Carli Churm (IVC), 6-4, 6-1
Nedra Jenkins (IVC) def. Cristina Sanchez (CERR), 6-2, 6-0
Tania Garcia (CERR) def. Ashley Katnik (IVC), 6-2, 6-2
Lindsay Baecker (IVC) def. Gaby Diaz (CERR), 6-4, 6-0

Doubles

Annika You/Sonia Gutierrez (CERR) def. Michelle LaVonne/Carli Churm (IVC), 8-3
Joanna Gonzalez/Shamariah DeRojas (CERR) def. Emily Davies/Nedra Jenkins (IVC), 8-4
Steffanie Mendez/Cristina Sanchez (CERR) def. Dana Bortz/Lindsay Baecker (IVC), 8-3