The No. 2-seeded Ventura College men's tennis team continued their post-season run with a 5-1 victory over No. 3 Riverside on Tuesday at the VC Tennis Center. Santino Serralonga and Jinsei Tajima each were double-winners on the day in helping the Pirates advance to the Southern California Regional Finals.
Serralonga and Valentino Oggero got the Pirates (15-0) off to a quick start, capturing their No. 2 doubles match 8-1. Tajima and Philemon Jabin followed momentarily, claiming the No. 1 doubles contest by an identical 8-1 count. The Tigers got on the board in No. 3 doubles, defeating VC's duo of Eduardo Gorgonio Criscuolo and Lucas Abreau 8-5 for a 2-1 match score heading to singles.
Ventura firmly took control in singles, recording three points for the match win. Serralonga repeated his doubles success with a 6-1, 6-1 victory in No. 2 singles and Tajima claimed VC's fourth point with a 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 1. Abreau then finished off the Tigers with a 6-1, 6-4 triumph at No. 4 for the 5-1 victory.
Oggero and Julian Tellez were both ahead in their Nos. 5 and 6 singles contests, respectively, when the match was clinched.
VC moves ahead to the Southern California Regional Final to be held on Saturday April 22. The Pirates will travel to Palm Desert to take on No. 1-seeded College of the Desert for the right to represent Southern California at the CCCAA State Championships on Wednesday April 26 in Ventura with The Ojai tournament.
Ventura 5, Riverside 1
Doubles
1. Tajima/Jabin (VC) def. R. Rullan/C. Rullan (RCC) 8-1
2. Serralonga/Oggero (VC) def. Real/Recchia (OCC) 8-1
3. Eduardo Gorgonio Criscuolo/Abreau (VC) lost to Delente/Harvill (RCC), 8-5
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
Singles
1. Jinsei Tajima (VC) def. Rafael Rullan (RCC), 6-0, 6-4
2. Santino Serralonga (VC) def. Emilio Real (RCC), 6-1, 6-1
3. Philemon Jabin (VC) down vs. Enrico Recchia (RCC), 5-7, DNF
4. Lucas Abreau (VC) def. Carlos Rullan (RCC) 6-1, 6-4
5. Valentino Oggero (VC) up vs. Raphael Delente (RCC) 6-0, 4-3, DNF
6. Julian Tellez (VC) up vs. Austin Harvill (RCC) 6-3, 5-3, DNF
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 4