La Verne junior Areli Martinez and freshman Savannah Fisher defeat Occidental Andrea Clawson and Isabella Korfmann, 8-2, at the 2016 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Women’s Tennis Championships Saturday at Pomona-Pitzer’s Pauley Tennis Complex. The Leopards finished in fifth place after defeating Occidental and Caltech. / photo by Autumn Simon
Jose Brambila
Staff Writer
The women’s tennis team finished fifth at the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships last weekend, wrapping up the season with a record of 7-14 overall and 4-5 in SCIAC play.
The Leopards lost to Cal Lutheran 5-1 Friday at Poulson Tennis Center.
The team then earned back-to-back victories over Occidental, 6-3, and Caltech, 6-3, Saturday and Sunday at Pomona-Pitzer’s Pauley Tennis Complex.
Before the tournament, sophomore Janae Chinn hoped to avenge earlier losses and said the team had a goal it has been working on since the season started.
“Our goal is to finish top five in SCIAC tournament play,” Chinn said.
On Friday against Cal Lutheran, the Leopards lost, 5-1 and the match was called due to inclement weather.
In Saturday’s game against the Occidental Tigers, the Leopards swept in doubles play to take a 3-0 lead heading into single’s play.
“I think that the team played well together and continually found a way to win,” senior Shenelle Trujillo said.
Occidental won three single matches.
La Verne senior Bridget Etchegaray was defeated by sophomore Samantha Farrel 6-1, 3-6, 1-6.
Freshman Savanah Goode lost to senior Keilani Bonis-Ericksen 6-2, 6-1.
Freshman Nicole Castro topped sophomore Madison Madewell 6-2, 6-3.
Chinn shifted the momentum back in La Verne’s favor and defeated senior Lucy Malloch 6-1, 6-0.
La Verne junior Areli Martinez kept things rolling by defeating sophomore Lauren Hutkin 6-1, 6-1.
Freshman Savannah Fisher added one more win to seal the victory for the Leopards with a 6-1, 6-2 win against freshman Andrea Clawson to advance to the fifth place game.
On Sunday against Caltech, La Verne got off to a hot start.
The team won the first two doubles matchups with one loss heading into singles play.
Etchegaray got the Leopards right in it with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over sophomore Vinci Chen.
La Verne led 3-1 heading into singles play.
Freshman Julia Reisler defeated Goode, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, cutting the deficit to only 3-2.
Martinez would extend the Leopards lead to 4-2.
She defeated freshman Cecila Andrews 6-2, 6-1.
Trujillo would clinch the victory for La Verne.
After a slow start dropping the first set, 6-1 to junior Sophia Chen, she came back strong with back to back victories winning, 6-4, 6-1.
Chinn closed out the match with a 6-3, 2-6, 15-13 win over Moriyama.
As La Verne wraps up it season, Etchegaray said she is proud of her teammates’ effort to end the season on a good note.
After much growing pains in a season that ended 7-4, but those four losses came in league play, she said she is still ecstatic of the progress made this season.
“I’m super proud at everyone for stepping up and getting the win,” Etchegaray said.
Jose Brambila can be reached at jose.brambila@laverne.edu.