Ventura Tennis Splits Final Day of North/South Challenge

The Ventura College men's tennis team completed the North/South Challenge in Fresno Saturday with a split of a pair of matches.  VC lost to NorCal power Foothill 5-2 before shutting out host Fresno City 8-0 in the second match of the day. Bill Whitaker won two doubles matches, first with Cruz Thayne, and then with Damon Mitchell. Thayne also won his only singles contest of the day.

Ventura 2, Foothill 5
Against Foothill, the 5-2 margin was closer than it appeared.  In doubles, Whitaker and Thayne prevailed in the No. 1 slot 8-5 before the duos of Augustin Lestelle and Damon Mitchell, and Florent Auteuil and Hamilton Walker both lost by narrow 8-6 scores in the Nos. 2 and 3 slots, respectively. Whitaker claimed the first set in No. 1 singles before falling in three while Thayne claimed his No. 2 singles match in straight sets. Rodrigo Perdigao also lost in three sets in No. 4 singles.

Ventura 8, Fresno 0
The Pirates closed the weekend with an 8-0 sweep of Fresno City College. Whitaker and Mitchell won in No. 1 doubles and Auteuil and Walker prevailed in the No. 2 doubles slot. VC was awarded a point in No. 3 doubles by default.   Whitaker and Lestelle claimed the Nos. 1 and 2 singles matches love and love and Auteuil won in No. 4 singles love and one. Mitchell and Walker also triumphed in Nos. 3 and 5 singles, respectively.

Ventura returns to Western State Conference action on Tuesday March 21 in Woodland Hills against Los Angeles Pierce.  The Brahmas return the favor, traveling to Ventura on Thursday March 23 in a make-up match from February.  A win Tuesday will clinch at least a tie for the Pirates' third straight WSC crown.

Ventura 2, Foothill 5

Doubles
1. Whitaker/Thayne (VC) def. Greco/Kim (FC), 8-5
2. Lestelle/Mitchell (VC) lost to Parra/Ochoa (FC), 8-6
3. Auteuil/Hamilton Walker (VC) lost to Calayag/Esmaeli (FC), 8-6

Singles
1. Bill Whitaker (VC) lost to Joseph Greco (FC), 4-6, 6-4, 10-8
2. Cruz Thayne (VC) def. Daniel Kim (FC), 6-4, 6-0
3. Augustin Lestelle (VC) lost to Julio Ochoa (FC), 6-4, 6-3
4. Rodrigo Perdigao (VC) lost to Milton Parra (FC), 6-0, 3-6, 10-6
5. Damon Mitchell (VC) vs. Shahand Esmaeili (FC), dnf
6. Florent Auteuil (VC) vs. Kristian Calayag (FC), dnf

Ventura 8, Fresno 0

Doubles
1. Whitaker/Mitchell (VC) def. Clewis/Yang (FCC), 8-3
2. Auteuil/Walker (VC) def. N. Morrison/Caballero (FCC), 8-2
3. Ventura def. Fresno by Default

Singles
1. Bill Whitaker (VC) def. Kienan Clewis (FCC), 6-0, 6-0
2. Augustin Lestelle (VC) def. Jade Yang (FCC), 6-0, 6-0
3. Damon Mitchell (VC) def. Rick Morrison (FCC),
4. Florent Auteuil (VC) def. Nick Morrison (FCC0, 6-0, 6-1
5. Hamilton Walker (VC) def. Adrian Caballero (FCC), 
6.