Re-Cap of 12-8-08 Round of 16 Matches –L.A. C.I.F. City Section – Individual Doubles Championships

Congratulations to Veronica Trujillo & Jasmin Jimenez of the Lady Pilots Tennis Team for yet another great performance in the round of 16 of Monday’s L.A. C.I.F. City Section Individual Doubles Championships at Balboa Tennis Center in Encino, CA.

Trujillo & Jimenez, the Pilots’ top doubles tandem, played in a rematch of a regular season contest vs. Carson’s Khate Soliman & Michelle Nguyen, the overall #7 seed in the tournament.  In the 1^st set, the very first game went to 5 deuces, showing just how much of a battle this rematch would be.  However, after that 1^st game went to the Colts, the Pilots struggled to get back on track.  Before they knew it, the first set was over.

The score of that 1^st set, however, did not tell the whole story.  Although it looked like a one-sided affair, the Pilots were close in every one of those seven games, with many of those also going into several deuce points.  Where others might have been discouraged to be so close in so many games, only to come up empty, Trujillo & Jimenez took a different approach. They decided to be encouraged by the fact that each game was close & since the new format for the round of 16 was a full 2 out of 3 sets, considered that 1^st set as an extended warm-up.  Nothing had changed; they still needed to win 2 sets to win the match.  So, refusing to be disheartened or intimidated, they viewed the 2^nd set as a new beginning.

The second set proved to be just that, as the Pilots jumped out to a 3-0 lead.  However, the Colts then went on their own run, winning 5 games in a row, seemingly putting an end to any hope that the Pilots may have had.  Yet Trujillo & Jimenez refused to “go gentle into that good night.”  They muscled up every ounce of energy that they had & found a way to tie the match at 5-all, fighting off a match point along the way.  After taking their 3^rd game in a row, & building a 6-5 lead, the Colts stopped their run again to force a 2^nd-set tie-break.  After staying close the whole way, the Pilots once again found themselves staring death in the face, in the form of a second match point at 5-6 in the tie-break.  Trujillo & Jimenez survived & took the next 3 points in a row and along with that the 2^nd set!

After a 10 minute break, the Pilots seemed poised & full of belief that the momentum was now in their favor, but in the blink of an eye, the Colts built a quick 3-0 lead.  After an emergency restroom break at 1-4, the Pilots seemed to lose all momentum as the #7 seed proved their mettle, closing out the set at 6-1.

This incredible performance was one for the ages.  Despite the fact that the Pilots came up short, their effort proved that they were in fact, among the very best in the city, earning nods of respect from their opponents & coaches alike.  Considering that in the past 71 matches, this was literally only the 2^nd set that the Pilots have ever stolen from the Colts, this was indeed something to be proud of.

Awesome Job Pilots!