College of the Desert Chance at Winning All Titles

After two days of competition at multiple venues in Ventura and Oxnard the Men's Tennis singles field reduced from 64 to the final eight at the prestigious Ojai Athletic Club. The 2023 Dual Team Champion, College of the Desert started the quarterfinals with three of the remaining players (Hernan Olivas, Joe Corse and Eita Ishikawa) with the lone returner left from the 2022 state tournament, Ravi Nelson (American River).

Nelson started off his match strong winning the first set 6-1 over Hernan Olivas (College of the Desert). Olivas then won a hard fought second set 6-4, then he cruised in the third winning 6-0 and punching his ticket to the semifinals. Kiichi Ishida (Irvine Valley College) and Santino Serrionga (Ventura College) battled out a three-set match, with Ishida eventually winning the match 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. Joe Corse (College of the Desert) advanced to the semifinals 7-6, 6-1 over Jinsei Tajima (Ventura College). In the longest match of the day, Rafael Rullan (Riverside) defeated Eita Ishikawa (College of the Desert) 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 to prevent an all COD semifinal.

Keeping with the theme of the week, College of the Desert Men's Tennis program showed their dominance in the semifinals as Corse defeated Rullan 6-1, 6-2 and Olivas won in straight sets against Ishida 6-3, 6-2 to create an all-COD final. Olivas broke down his semifinal match, "It was pretty tough, he (Ishida) has really good strokes and his baseline makes it hard to rally with him, so I had to come in and put volleys out. I made some really good shots and went for it." On Olivas preparation for tomorrows championship match, "I feel pretty good and will go to the trainer and get good sleep and be ready to go for tomorrow."

After the conclusion of the second semifinal, Corse commented on his path to the finals, "A lot of preparation, I have been working hard all season and being in shape, really focusing and concentrating on what I am doing out on the court." On facing his teammate in the finals, Corse laughed and said "We have a little rivalry going back and forth for quite a little bit and it will be a really tough match. I am excited and it will be super fun."

Just as with the Women's doubles, there are four different schools looking to be crowned champions, Irvine Valley College, College of the Desert, Ventura College and Riverside. Kiichi Ishida, who won the doubles championship last season, has a chance to repeat as him and Kashishian won a thriller over American River duo, Nelson and Hill, in a tiebreaker. Irvine Valley will face off against Ishikawa and Corse from College of the Desert. Another American River doubles team (Lin and Hall) lost a heartbreaker in a tiebreaker to Tajima and Jabin of Ventura College. The Rullan duo from Riverside knocked off the doubles team of College of the Desert to ensure there cannot be an all COD finals.

The doubles semifinals will begin at 8am, followed by the singles finals and the tournament will end with the doubles finals.