In a close non-conference match on Tuesday afternoon, the Cerritos College women's tennis team suffered a tough 5-4 loss at the hands of Santa Monica College. The Falcons (8-3) were involved in tight games from start to finish against the Corsairs, with Cerritos coming out on the short end of two of the three singles matches that went three sets. Cerritos will now host Paradise Valley (AZ) College in a non-conference match at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

 

    Aside from freshman Tania Garcia (Huntington Park HS), who posted a 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (8-6) victory in the #6 position over Nilufar Izadpanah, the Falcons saw the match swing toward Santa Monica with their wins in the other three-set matches. Sophomore Annika You (John Marshall HS/Cal Poly Pomona) was defeated in the #1 position, 6-3, 1-6, 6-7 (5) to Natalie Kelly, while SMC's Alisa Olinova came away with a 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 win over freshman Cristina Sanchez (La Mirada HS) in the #5 spot.

 

    The other singles win for the Falcons came from sophomore Steffanie Mendez (Bellflower HS) in the #2 spot (6-4, 6-2), while Cerritos won two of the three doubles matches. You and sophomore Sonia Gutierrez (Norwalk HS), along with Mendez and Sanchez each won by an 8-5 count.