Re-Cap of 12-5-08 2^nd Round Matches –L.A. C.I.F. City Section – Individual Doubles Championships

Congratulations to the Lady Pilots Tennis Team for another great performance in the 2^nd round of Friday’s L.A. C.I.F. City Section Individual Doubles Championships at Balboa Tennis Center in Encino, CA. While one duo fell by the wayside & another triumphed, both fought hard, showing that Pilot Pride!

The team’s 4^th-ranked duo, Sandra Medina & Victoria Martinez, facing off against a Granada Hills duo fresh off of the team championship in the City Division, started off on a good foot in both sets, winning the first game of each, but simply couldn’t keep pace with the more experienced and game-tested Highlanders squad.

The Pilots’ top doubles tandem, Veronica Trujillo & Jasmin Jimenez, playing against Bell’s #1 duo, never trailed in the first set, winning handily.  In the 2^nd set they began by reeling off 5 games in a row, before closing it out in straight sets.  These two Pilots now find themselves in even more exclusive company, reaching the round of 16.  To reach this level, out of over 160 doubles teams in the city, is quite an accomplishment & sure to go down in the history of Banning Pilots Tennis, as it is only the 2^nd time that it has been done for the ladies’ team in the past 15+ years.

They now get their second re-match in the tournament of a previously close one.  After successfully repeating their success vs. Venice in the 1^st round, the tables are turned, as the Pilots are the ones looking to avenge their close loss.  During the second regular season matchup, Trujillo & Jimenez built a 6-5 lead over Carson’s Khate Soliman & Michelle Nguyen & seemed to have the match under control.  Soliman & Nguyen rallied quickly however, taking the match 8-6.  These two Colts entered the tournament as the #7 seed, so the Pilots will certainly have their work cut out for them, but know that they definitely can compete with them in what is sure to be an intense match.

Awesome job Pilots & good luck to Veronica & Jasmin on Monday in the Round of 16!