TENNIS: Esquer still building program

By NICHOLAS TRUJILLO

With the Pima Community College tennis squads completing the first half of their season, head coach Ian Esquer will gear up his teams for the NJCAA Region I Tournament at Paseo Racquet Center in Glendale, Arizona.

“For the amount of time we have been practicing, they’ve done a good job of stepping up to the plate and competing against all kinds of teams,” Esquer said.

 MEN’S TEAM

March 23: Pima 3, Paradise Valley CC 6 

The Aztecs (2-3, 1-3 ACCAC) took a tough loss against the Pumas while playing on their home court at the West Campus.

Sophomore Mark Avalos won his singles and doubles matches. Avalos beat his No. 1 singles opponent 6-4, 6-1.

Fellow sophomore Francisco Ton paired with Avalos to win a tiebreaker doubles match 9-8, (7-2).

 March 29: PCC 2, Mesa CC 7

After packing their bags for another competition on the road, the Aztecs dropped seven matches to the Thunderbirds.

In the No. 1 doubles competition, sophomore duo Avalos and Ton lost their match, 8-2. Reisig was the only Aztec to put up a fight against his No. 3 singles dropping the match 6-4, 6-2.

 WOMEN’S TEAM

March 23: PCC 7, Paradise Valley CC 2

On the road, Pima (3-4, 2-4 ACCAC) took a different turn as the women’s team was able to give the Pumas a defeat on the Paradise Valley CC campus.

Freshman Jayme Shafer won her No. 5 singles after playing a close second set, 6-1, 7-5. Freshmen Emma Oropeza and Janine Fernando both won their No. 1 and No. 2 singles matches respectively.

Oropeza won in dominating fashion, 6-1, 6-0, while Fernando won her match in the same fashion, 6-0, 6-1.

 March 28: PCC 3, Eastern Azona 6

PCC faced a tough match as they played the No. 22 Eastern Arizona College. The No. 2 doubles duo freshman

Lien Nguyen and sophomore Dana Pineda got the 8-1 win against the opposing Gila Monsters doubles team.

The No. 1 doubles duo Oropeza and Fernando dropped their match 8-5.

Freshmen Shafer and Elise Rodriguez both picked up their No. 5 and No. 6 singles matches, respectively. Shafer fought a tough first set and came out on top, winning 7-5, 6-4.

 March 29: PCC 0, Mesa CC 9

After playing the No. 22 ranked team in the nation, the Aztecs schedule amped up the difficulty level to play the No. 11 ranked Thunderbirds.

Shafer, who took the No. 5 singles spot, played a tough second set but ultimately fell to her opponent 6-0, 6-4.

ON DECK

MEN’S

April 11: at Paradise Valley CC, Phoenix, 1:30 p.m.

WOMEN’S

April 11: vs. Paradise Valley CC, West Campus, 1:30 p.m.