LA Mission Falls to Ventura in Tough 6-3 Battle
Ventura, CA – The LA Mission College women’s tennis team fought hard but ultimately fell 6-3 to Ventura College on Tuesday in a competitive Western State Conference matchup. Despite strong performances from Jaelyn Rivera and Genesis Nochez, the Eagles couldn’t overcome Ventura’s depth in singles play.
Doubles Play Puts LAMC in an Early Hole
Ventura took two of the three doubles matches, giving them the early momentum heading into singles action.
- Jaelyn Rivera and Genesis Nochez secured LA Mission's only doubles win with an 8-6 victory at No. 1 doubles over N. Iannacone and K. Branson.
- Ventura bounced back with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles, as L. Tennison and C. Padua defeated Alitzel Ortega Partida and Caitlin Nycum, 8-4, while D. Contreras and F. Gonzales took down Kirsten Bonzon and Dayana Albizures, 8-5.
Rivera Shines, but Ventura Controls Singles Play
The highlight of the day for LA Mission came at No. 1 singles, where Jaelyn Rivera battled through a grueling match to defeat N. Iannacone, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). Rivera's resilience in the tiebreak helped her secure an impressive win against a tough opponent.
At No. 5 singles, Caitlin Nycum picked up a win by retirement, as D. Contreras was forced to exit in the second set, giving LA Mission another point.
However, Ventura dominated the remaining singles matches:
- No. 2 Singles: L. Tennison (VC) defeated Genesis Nochez (LAMC) 6-3, 6-1
- No. 3 Singles: K. Branson (VC) defeated Kirsten Bonzon (LAMC) 6-0, 6-1
- No. 4 Singles: C. Padua (VC) defeated Alitzel Ortega Partida (LAMC) 6-3, 6-0
- No. 6 Singles: F. Gonzales (VC) defeated Cittalli Diaz (LAMC) 6-4, 6-0
Tough Loss, But Positives to Build On
Despite the loss, LA Mission continues to show promise with strong singles performances at the top of the lineup. Rivera's victory and the competitive doubles play provide positives as the Eagles look ahead to their next matches.
Head coach Joe Cascione reflected on the match: "Ventura is a strong team, and we knew this would be a challenge. Jaelyn played a fantastic match, and we had our chances in doubles. We'll regroup and come back stronger in our next match."
Looking Ahead
The Eagles will look to bounce back in their upcoming conference match against Glendale on February 20. With a 5-2 conference record, LA Mission remains in strong playoff contention as they continue their push toward the postseason.
Final Score:
�� Ventura – 6
�� LA Mission – 3