All Entries in the "Tennis" Category

Rising tennis star serves up wins

Story and photo By HANNAH McLEOD

With a competitive spirit and intense focus, Tatum Rochin is schooling her opponents on the tennis court.

“She always goes for it and gets the shot that she wants,” sophomore doubles partner Victoria Bravo said. “Her serve is outstanding.”

Rochin grew up in San Angelo, Texas, and was homeschooled for most of her life. At age 9, her dad encouraged her to play tennis, his favorite sport.

She started her tennis career with the United States Tennis Association Junior League, playing from age 9 to 16. During this time, she won many awards.

Outstanding honors included winning the Sportsmanship Award at 16 Zonals Team Competition in 2008 and 2009.

She is also a two-time Role Model Award winner at Tucson Racquet Club and won the Nancy Jeffet Sportsmanship Award in May 2010 at the Houston Open Super Champ Junior Major Zone.

“Winning the Sportsmanship Award was definitely my biggest accomplishment,” Rochin said.

Tatum Rochin

Three years ago, Pima Community College women’s tennis head coach Gretchen Schantz noticed Rochin at the Tucson Racquet Club, where Pima plays its tennis games.

Although Rochin is just 17, much younger than her teammates, Schantz recruited her to the Aztecs.

“She was young so I think this was a good decision for her,” Schantz said. “She has no weaknesses and is an all-court player.”

Rochin’s success at Pima includes a singles record of 11-2 and a doubles record of 12-2.   She credits many hours of practice with the team and on her own.

“I’d sometimes practice up to five hours a day,” she said. “You have to be mentally and physically tough.”

Watching her favorite tennis player, Rafael Nadal, also helps Rochin improve her game.

“I try to play like him,” Rochin said. “He is number one in the world.”

Many of her practices and games included playing with doubles partner Bravo.

“She’s very stable and you can count on her,” Bravo said. “We try to laugh a lot before a match to let loose and have fun.”

Rochin’s future after Pima is uncertain. The only certain thing is that she wants to play tennis at a four-year university.

“She has the potential to continue on to a four-year school and play tennis,” Schantz said.

For now, with Regionals and Nationals approaching, Rochin has just one goal in mind.

“I want to be first at Regionals this year,” Rochin said. “I want to make a good showing at Nationals.”

Women’s tennis punches Nationals ticket

Story and photo by HANNAH McLEOD

The Pima Community College women’s tennis team finished runner up at Regionals, just behind No. 5 Eastern Arizona College.

The Aztecs have earned their way to the National Junior College Athletic Association tournament on May 7-13. They will be playing in Tucson at the Reffkin Tennis Center.

“We had five regional runner ups in singles and two regional runner ups in doubles,” head coach Gretchen Schantz said.

In the finals of the singles tournament, all six Pima singles players lost to EAC. Freshman Tatum Rochin lost 6-1, 6-1 and sophomore Victoria Bravo lost 7-5, 6-0.

Sophomore Gabriela Rodriguez was defeated 6-3, 6-2 and sophomore Lydia Carlson fell short 6-2, 6-3. The last player for singles, freshman Olivia Cole-Encinas lost 6-4, 6-4.

Gaby Rodriguez

Doubles partners Rochin and Bravo beat Scottsdale Community College 6-2, 6-0 in the semifinals. Rodriguez and Gaynor won against Mesa Community College 6-3, 5-7, 7-6.

In the finals, Rochin and Bravo fell short against EAC 6-2, 6-0 and Rodriguez and Gaynor lost as well 6-3, 6-0.

On the first day of the Regional Tournament, April 18, the Aztecs represented themselves well.

In singles quarterfinals, Gaynor beat Paradise Valley 6-0, 6-0.

In the semifinals of singles No. 2 seed Rochin won 6-0, 6-1 against Glendale and No. 2 seed Bravo shut out Scottsdale 6-0, 6-0. In the No. 1 seed, Rodriguez won 6-0, 6-1.

Also seeded at No. 2 was Carlson, who won 6-2, 6-4 against Glendale. Gaynor fell short against Eastern 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.  No. 2 seed Cole-Encinas won 6-1, 6-3 against Mesa.

On April 12, Pima lost to Eastern 8-1.

In doubles, Rochin and Bravo lost 8-6 and so did Gaynor and Rodriguez 8-3. Olivia Cole-Encinas and Carlson were defeated 8-3.

The one win of the day went to Rodriguez 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 13-11. She finished her season undefeated in singles.

In singles Rochin lost 6-2, 6-2 and Bravo fell short 6-0, 6-4. Carlson was defeated 6-0, 6-0 and Gaynor was lost 7-6 (7-3), 6-2. Cole-Encinas fell short 6-3, 6-2.

On April 7, the women’s tennis team beat Scottsdale 8-1. This was the eighth straight conference win for the Aztecs.

Starting off the afternoon with a solid 8-0 win was Rochin and Bravo. Gaynor and Rodriguez won 8-5. The last win for doubles was won by default.

No 1. Rochin was victorious 6-2, 6-1 along with teammate Bravo who won 6-1, 6-1.

Rodriguez won by default and Carlson won 6-3, 7-5. Gaynor lost 6-3, 6-1 and Cole-Encinas won 6-0, 6-2 making her singles record 7-2.

Nationals

May 7-13: @ Reffkin Tennis Center (Tucson)

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Men’s tennis earns trip to Nationals

By JAMES SARGENT and AMBER BENDER

The Pima Community College men’s tennis team finished the Region I Tennis Tournament on April 19 on somewhat of a sour note, but they still qualified for Nationals.

The Aztecs finished the two-day event in second place as a team as Scottsdale Community College defeated them in five singles and three doubles championships.

With the runner-up finish, PCC qualified for the 2011 National Junior College Athletic Association National Tournament, which will be held in Plano, Texas May 16-20.

In singles, sophomore Alan Barrios lost his second match of the season, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6. He is still ranked No. 1 in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference though.

For the rest of singles, Andrew Barnett lost 6-2, 5-7, 4-6, Matt Bernard lost 3-6, 4-6, Tim Holton lost 4-6, 0-6 and Victor Cabada lost 2-6, 3-6.

In doubles semifinals, Barnett and Holten won 6-2, 6-4, Barrios and Bernard won 6-1, 6-4 and Nino and Cabada won 6-2, 6-3.

In doubles finals, Barnett and Holten lost 0-6, 2-6, while Barrios and Bernard lost 3-6, 4-6. Freshmen Jacob Nino and Victor Cabada lost 2-6, 3-6.

On April 18, the opening day of the Region 1 Tournament, the Aztecs won all six of their singles matches.

Barrios led Pima winning 6-2 and 7-5, Barnett won 6-2, 6-0, Bernard won 6-2, 6-3, Holton won 6-2, 6-1, Nino won 6-4,6-1 and Cabada won 6-1, 6-0.

April 7, PCC men’s tennis team took on Scottsdale Community College suffered a huge loss of 9-0 after a 3 match win streak.

Singles No. 1 sophomore Alan Barrios, had his first loss this season in singles 2-6, 1-6 and 3-8, with doubles partner freshman Matt Bernard (No. 3) who also lost in singles 2-6, 3-6.

No. 4 in singles freshman Tim Holten lost 2-6, 0-6 and 5-8 with doubles partner sophomore Andrew Barnett. Doubles No. 3 partners Nino and Cabada lost 1-8.

Nationals

May 16-20: @ Collin College (Plano, Texas)

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ONLINE EXTRA: 7-0 Barrios leading men’s tennis

Story and video by AMBER BENDER
Photo by HANNAH McLEOD

Led by its undefeated star, the Pima Community College men’s tennis team is enjoying one of its best seasons ever and has a chance to win the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference title.

The Aztecs (8-5, 6-1 ACCAC) are led by sophomore Alan Barrios, who is No. 1 ranked in the ACCAC and undefeated as the No. 1 singles player for Pima. Barrios and his partner, freshman Matt Bernard, are also top ranked in doubles.

“It’s Fantastic. I’m super psyched and ready to kick some ass in Regionals,” Bernard said about the top ranking.

Pima is one match behind first place Scottsdale Community College in the ACCAC standings. The Aztecs travel to Scottsdale on April 7 to play the Fighting Artichokes to decide the conference championship.

To add to the glory, singles No. 4 freshman Tim Holten is ranked No. 1 in the conference in the No. 4 slot.

“Hard work pays off,” Holten said.

On April 5, the Aztecs swept Paradise Valley 9-0. In doubles, Barnett and Holten won 8-6, Barrios and Bernard won 8-2 and freshman Jacob Nino and freshman Victor Cabada won 8-1.

In singles, Barnett won 6-2, 6-2, Bernard won 6-3, 6-5, Holten won 6-1, 6-0, Nino won 6-0, 6-2 and Cabada won 6-1, 6-1. Barrios stayed perfect in singles in ACCAC play, 7-0, but actually lost a set, winning the match 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

“I was not playing very good, I was frustrated, nothing was working,” Barrios said. “(Head coach) Shariff (Moustafa) came over and talked to me about switching my game to push the ball and then I won my second set easily. I was just frustrated with myself. My serves weren’t going in, but I got the win.”

Regionals will be held April 17-19 at the Paseo Racquet Center in Glendale.

“I feel like I have a good chance at taking Regionals,” Holten said.

On March 31, Pima dominated Glendale Community College with a 9-0 sweep.

“It wasn’t our best tennis, but we got through,” Moustafa said. “We need to stay a hell of a lot more competitive to make it through.”

Alan Barrios

Pima tallied another win on March 29 by defeating Mesa Community College 6-3. In doubles, Barrios and Bernard won 8-6. Victor Cabada and Jacob Nino won 8-5. Barrios, Holten, Nino and Cabada also won their singles matches.

On March 22, Pima lost to rival Scottsdale Community College, 6-3.

Despite a series of losses, the Aztecs considered their Spring Break road trip to California a success.

“It set us apart, we had to compete against really competitive teams,” Moustafa said. “It taught us to fight and you can see it when we play.”

The team played a series of matches March 12-18 in Hawaiian Gardens, Calif. After an opening win against Long Beach (Calif.) City College 9-0, the team suffered losses to Glendale (Calif.) Community College 9-0, Cerritos (Calif.) College 7-2 and Cypress (Calif.) College 7-2.

Although the Aztecs lost three matches in a row, Moustafa saw it as a big step toward finishing the rest of the season strong.

Moustafa believes this has been an incredible season so far. The Aztecs are playing the highest level of tennis they have in a long time, he said.

Never before has the men’s program had players ranked so high. Moustafa credits Pima’s hard work.

“They are staying after and working really hard,” Moustafa said.

Barrios is being looked at by Northern Arizona University, University of Louisville, University of Utah and Alcorn State University.

“It’s a nice feeling. I work really hard,” Barrios said. “It’s more than happy, it’s satisfaction.”

Barrios is happy with the team. Compared to last year, he believes the Aztecs are better and closer as a team.

“We play around and joke, but when it comes down to the matches, we focus and get it done,” he said. “We unite as a team.”

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Women’s tennis wins its seventh straight

Story and photo by HANNAH McLEOD

The Pima Community College women’s tennis ran its winning streak to seven matches.

On April 5, the Aztecs (11-2, 7-2 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference) shut out Paradise Valley Community College 9-0.

The doubles team of sophomore Victoria Bravo and freshmen Tatum Rochin won 8-1 and sophomore Gabriel Rodriguez and sophomore Lucy Gaynor finished with the same winning score. Freshmen Olivia Cole-Encinas and sophomore Lydia Carlson triumphed 8-0.

In singles, Rochin won 6-0, 6-3. In the No. 2 spot, Bravo swept her opponent 6-0, 6-0 and Rodriguez finished 6-0, 6-0 as well. Carlson won 6-2, 6-0 and Gaynor contributed with a 6-0, 6-0 win.
To finish off the day Cole-Encinas was victorious 6-0, 6-0.

Tatum Rochin

The Aztecs traveled to Glendale Community College on March 31 and won 7-2.

No. 1 doubles team Rochin and Bravo narrowly lost 9-7. Gaynor and Rodriguez triumphed 7-0 and Carlson and Cole-Encinas won 8-1.

In singles, Rochin won 6-3, 6-1 and Bravo was victorious 7-5, 6-1. No. 3 singles team, Rodriguez won by default and Carlson had a 6-4, 6-2 victory. Gaynor lost 6-0, 1-6, (10-6) and Cole-Encinas shut out her opponent with a 6-0, 6-0.

On March 29, the Aztecs won 7-2 over Mesa Community College.

In doubles, Bravo and Rochin won 8-4 and their teammates Rodriguez and Gaynor finished 8-1. Carlson and Cole-Encinas fell short in an 8-3 loss.

Singles No. 1 Rochin won 6-1, 6-0 and Bravo finished with a 6-1, 6-2 victory. Rodriguez finished with a 6-2, 6-0 win.

Gaynor was defeated 0-6, 7-5, (10-6) and Cole-Encinas finished the day with a 6-0, 6-1 victory.

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Women’s tennis enjoys productive Spring Break

Story and photo by HANNAH McLEOD

The Pima Community College women’s tennis team moved into second place in the conference with a four-match winning streak.

The Aztecs’ (8-2, 4-1 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference) win against Scottsdale 8-1 on March 22 moved them into second behind Eastern Arizona College.

“Our toughest competition will be Eastern on April 12,” head coach Gretchen Schantz said.

All the doubles teams won, with the No. 1 team of freshman Tatum Rochin and sophomore Victoria Bravo winning 8-3. Sophomores Lucy Gaynor and Gabriela Rodriguez won 9-8, 7-1. Sophomore Lydia Carlson and freshman Olivia Cole-Encinas won by default.

Singles No. 1 Rochin won 6-0, 0-3 and Bravo defeated her opponent 7-5, 6-0. Rodriguez continues her winning streak in singles with her win 6-1, 6-1. Carlson won 7-6, 7-1, 6-3.

Gaynor lost 6-4, 6-1, but Pima ended the afternoon with a win by default by Cole-Encinas.

“The team has started to work together and support each other much more as the season has gone on,” Schantz said. “This will be very important in tight matches at regional and nationals.”

Over Spring Break, PCC took a road trip to California to compete. On March 17, Pima won 7-2 over Cerritos (Calif.) College in their third match in the Golden State.

“California was a great experience for the team. My top three singles players played very well and improved their records,” Schantz said.

Doubles partners Bravo and Rochin won 8-0 and improved their overall record in doubles to 8-1. Gaynor and Rodriguez followed in their footsteps with an 8-2 victory.

Carlson and Cole-Encinas finished off doubles with an 8-6 win.

Bravo won at the No. 1 spot with a 6-1, 6-0 victory in singles. At the No. 2 spot Rodriguez won efficiently with a 6-0, 6-1 win.

“Gabriela Rodriguez is undefeated in singles this season,” Schantz said.

Carlson fell short in a 6-4, 6-1 loss. Gaynor finished her match with a 6-1, 6-0 success. Cole-Encinas won 6-0 and her opponent retiring from the match. Freshman Amy Hohbein couldn’t hold on for the win and lost 6-4, 6-2.

The Aztecs’ second match in California was on March 16 with a solid 9-0 victory as they shut out Long Beach (Calif.) City College.

All the doubles won decisively. No. 1 Bravo and Rochin won 8-2, Gaynor and Rodriguez 8-0, and Carlson and Cole-Encinas finished off doubles with an 8-2 victory.

In singles, Bravo played in the No. 1 position and improved her singles record to 6-1 with a 6-3, 6-1 victory. Rodriguez won 6-2, 6-2 and Rochin defeated her opponent 6-0, 6-0. Gaynor won 3-0 her opponent retiring from the match.

Lucy Gaynor

Cole-Encinas won 6-1, 6-0. Hohbein carried out the shut out with a successful match 6-4, 6-0 success.

The Aztecs’ first match in California was against Glendale (Calif.) Community College, a 7-2 win.

In doubles, Bravo and Rochin won 8-6 and Gaynor and Rodriguez shut out their opponents 8-0. Carlson and Cole-Encinas fell short in a tight match 9-8, 7-4.

Rochin, No. 1 for singles was defeated 6-2, 3-6, 11-9. Bravo was victorious with the scores of 6-3, 6-3. Rodriguez continues her undefeated singles record, now 6-0, with a win over Concebida of GCC 6-0, 6-0.
Carlson won 6-3, 6-4 and Gaynor did the same with a 6-2, 6-3 victory. Cole-Encinas finished the day off with a 6-1, 6-1 win.

On March 12, Pima lost to College of St. Benedict (Minn.) 3-6 at home. The Aztecs were short their No. 3 player in singles,

The solid No. 1 players in doubles, Bravo and Rochin, won 8-3. Carlson and Cole-Encinas lost 8-2 and their teammates Gaynor and Ahumada lost 8-0.

In singles Rochin added another win to her record with a 6-2, 6-4 win. Bravo contributed to the Pima score with a 6-2, 6-3 win. Carlson fell short in a 6-1, 6-1 defeat and Gaynor lost 6-0, 6-1. Rossman of St. Benedict beat Cole-Encinas 6-3, 6-2. Ahumada was also defeated 6-3, 6-0.

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Women’s tennis wins third match in row

Story and photo by HANNAH McLEOD

The Pima Community College women’s tennis team won its third match in a row with the most dominant performance of the season.

On March 8, against Paradise Valley, the Aztecs (4-1, 3-1 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference) earned a 9-0 victory.

“We did very well,” head coach Gretchen Schantz said. “It was our first time winning all our matches.”

The dominant duo of Tatum Rochin and Victoria Bravo shut out their opponents with an 8-0 victory. Doubles partners Lucy Gaynor and Gabriela Rodriguez won 8-1 as did Lydia Carlson and Olivia Cole-Encinas in their match.

Pima continued strong going into the singles. In the No. 1 spot, Rochin won 6-1, 6-1.  Bravo was just as successful with a 6-0, 6-1 success.  Rodriguez, No. 3 in singles, continued her undefeated season with a 6-0, 6-0 win.

Finishing off their 9-0 win was Carlson with a 6-1, 6-0 victory and Gaynor with a 6-0, 6-0 win and Cole-Encinas won by default because of a Paradise Valley injury.

“Our strength as a team is that everyone helps everybody,” Schantz said. “We have a bigger team of nine girls, so that helps.”

Tatum Rochin

On March 3, Pima continued winning at Glendale Community College. Doubles No. 1 team Bravo and Rochin started the afternoon off right with a solid 8-4 win. Carlson and Cole-Encinas equaled the 8-4 win

The singles were almost as equally as successful, with only one loss out of their six matches. Rochin won 6-2, 6-0 and Bravo won in a closer match with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 match win. Rodriguez swept her opponent 6-0, 6-0.

In the No. 4 spot, Carlson was successful as she won 7-5, 0-6, 10-7. Gaynor was victorious with a 6-3, 6-0 win. Finishing off the day with a tight loss was Cole-Encinas in a 4-6, 6-0, 10-5 finish.

Starting off the first of March just right with a 7-2 win, Pima defeated Mesa Community College.

The No. 1 and No. 2 doubles teams won their matches. Bravo and Rochin won 8-2 and their teammates Gaynor and Rodriguez followed suit as they won 8-0.

In singles, PCC won five out of six matches. Leading the way was Rochin who won 6-0, 6-1. Bravo won 6-2, 6-4 and Rodriguez contributed with a 6-1, 6-2 win.

Following in what seemed to be the winning trend for the afternoon, Carlson won 6-2, 6-4.  Falling short was Gaynor in a 4-6, 6-3, 10-8 loss, but finishing off the afternoon strong was Cole-Encinas with a 6-2, 6-1 win.

Next on March 12 at 1  p.m. at the Tucson Racquet Club, the Aztecs host College of St. Benedict. For a full schedule and a map to the Tucson Racquet Club, go to AztecPressOnline.com.

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Women’s tennis opens with win

By AMBER BENDER
Photo by LEFTRICK HERD

The Pima Community College women’s tennis team opened the season with a 5-4 win over University of the Southwest on Feb. 12.

“Overall, my team played very well for their first match,” head coach Gretchen Schantz said.

Freshman Tatum Rochin won every game in both singles and doubles while playing in the No. 1 position.

In the No. 2 position, sophomore Gabriela Rodriguez added a win to the team’s tally with a 6-2, 6-2 finish.

The Aztecs went on to split singles play 3-3. No. 6 Rosa Ahumada won, 6-1, 6-2.

The powerhouse duo of Rochin and sophomore Victoria Bravo opened the afternoon with a 8-0 match win in doubles. Sophomores Gabriela Rodriguez and Lucy Gaynor followed with an 8-3 match win.

“I was expecting a competitive match to help my players warm up for the upcoming conference season,” Schantz said.

The team finished second overall during pre-season play at the Jamboree in Mesa on Feb. 4. Schantz believed the event was a great warm-up.

“Improvement is always something that can be done,” she said. “I always think the team can serve bigger and better. Also, we need to practice playing more aggressively in doubles.”

Last season, the Aztecs went 4-6 and finished 19th at Nationals, which were held in Tucson.

On Feb. 20, Pima played in the Haggy Cup, a fundraiser for leukemia.

“It’s a win-win for us,” Schantz said. “We get more practice matches and we get to contribute to a great cause. We improve every match we play.”

The team’s top goal this year is to qualify for Nationals. Players must finish in the top three at the Regional tournament in April to qualify.

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ONLINE EXTRA: 2011 Men’s tennis schedule and results

Photo by STEVE CHOICE

9-5, 6-2 ACCAC

Fri. Feb. 11 IMPERIAL VALLEY (CALIF.) COLLEGE W 9-0
Sat. Feb. 12 SAN DIEGO (CALIF.) CC W 7-2
Sat. Feb. 12 UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHWEST (NEW MEXICO) L 7-2
Tues. Mar. 1 @ *Mesa CC W 8-1
Thurs. Mar. 3 @ *Glendale CC W 9-0
Tues. Mar. 8 @ *Paradise Valley CC W 9-0
Sat. Mar. 12 @ Long Beach (Calif.) City College W 9-0
Tues. Mar. 15 @ Glendale (Calif.) CC L 9-0
Thurs. Mar. 17 @ Cerritos (Calif.) College L 7-2
Thurs. Mar. 17 @ Cypress (Calif.) College L 7-2
Tues. Mar. 22 *SCOTTSDALE CC L 6-3
Tues. Mar. 29 *MESA CC W 6-3
Thurs. Mar. 31 *GLENDALE CC W
Tues. Apr. 5 *PARADISE VALLEY CC W 9-0
Thurs. Apr. 7 @ *Scottsdale CC L 9-0
Mon. April 18-Tues. April 19 NJCAA Region I Championship Tournament 2nd
Mon. May 16-Fri. May 20 NJCAA Championship Tournament (Plano, TX)

HOME matches in BOLD
* ACCAC match

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Andrew Barnett

ONLINE EXTRA: 2011 Women’s tennis schedule and results

Photo by DANIEL GAONA

12-3, 8-2 ACCAC

Sat. Feb. 12 UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHWEST (NEW MEXICO) W 5-4
Thurs. Feb. 24 *EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE L 8-1
Tues. Mar. 1 @ *Mesa CC W 7-2
Thurs. Mar. 3 *GLENDALE CC W 7-2
Tues. Mar. 8 *PARADISE VALLEY CC W 9-0
Sat. Mar. 12 COLLEGE OF ST. BENEDICT (MINN.) L 6-3
Tues. Mar. 15 @ Glendale (Calif.) CC W 7-2
Wed. Mar. 16 @ Long Beach (Calif.) City College W 9-0
Thurs. Mar. 17 @ Cerritos (Calif.) College W 7-2
Tues. Mar. 22 @ *Scottsdale CC W 8-1
Tues. Mar. 29 *MESA CC W 7-2
Thurs. Mar. 31 @ *Glendale CC W 7-2
Tues. Apr. 5 @ *Paradise Valley CC W 9-0
Thurs. Apr. 7 *SCOTTSDALE CC W 8-1
Tues. Apr. 12 @ *Eastern Arizona College L 8-1
Apr. 18-19 NJCAA Region I Championship Tournament (Glendale) 2nd
Sun. May 7-13 NJCAA Championship Tournament Reffkin Tennis Center (Tucson)
15th
HOME matches in BOLD
* ACCAC match

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Gabriela Rodriguez

Summer sports recap

Story and Photos by James Kelley

Pima sports ranked No. 16 nationally

The Pima Community College athletic department secured a top 20 finish in the National Alliance of Two Year College Athletic Administrators Cup.

The Aztecs finished with the country’s 16th best athletic program in the scholarship division in the 2009-10 NATYCAA Cup.

Pima earned 69.5 points, led by the 41 points earned by Aztec women’s teams. The men scored 28.5, up from 9.5 the year before. For the 2008-09 season, Pima ended up in 24th place.

Softball team upset by Yavapai

The softball team’s postseason began on a sour note and ended a day later when arch rival Yavapai College upset them.

Jordan Trujillo

No. 4 ranked and top-seeded Pima (57-11, 26-6 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference) lost 5-4 to second-seeded Yavapai on May 8 in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region I Championship game, which ended the Aztecs’ national title quest.

Sophomore pitcher and Arizona Community College Athletic Conference player of the year Jordan Trujillo (31-6) earned a rare loss in consecutive days. When Pima opened Regionals, it lost to No. 4 seed Arizona Western College, 4-3.

Track & field teams both finish in top 17

The Aztecs had 10 top-eight finishes at the Nationals meet, as the women’s track and field team finished 13th and the men’s team took 17th place.

In Hutchinson, Kan., sophomore Sharissa Korn placed fourth in the javelin with a throw of 135 feet, 9 inches. Freshman Kat Howard finished fifth in the 10,000-meters, setting a school record, 38:18.8.

The men’s 4×400-meter relay team of sophomore Stephan Bullard, freshman Derick Coker, sophomore Chris Phillips and freshman Mathew Robertson finished fifth in 3:15.5. On his own, Bullard finished sixth in the 800-meter in 1:54.1.

Sophomore Jessica Davis took fifth in the shot put, by putting up a score of 40 feet, 2 inches.

Freshman Christian Tover achieved a personal record, 160 feet, in the hammer throw, good enough for a sixth place finish.

Freshman Chloe’ Nowell leaped her way to a seventh place finish in the triple jump, with a mark of 36 feet, 7 inches.

Freshman Magda Mankel earned seventh place in the 1,500-meter, in a time of 5:04.6.

Sophomore Kyle Bush was 8th in the 1,500-meter in 4:11.6. Freshman Anthony Johnson placed eighth in the high jump, with a best of 6 feet, 8.75 inches.

The Aztecs started the postseason by finishing third at Regionals. Pima qualified 24 athletes in 21 events for Nationals.

Region championship winners were Nowell in triple jump, freshman Mario Portillo in 5,000-meter and Tover in shot put.

The men’s 4×400 team finished in third place, running a 3:13.26. That result broke a school record they set earlier in the season.

Tennis teams finish 19th at Nationals

Both tennis teams finished 19th at Nationals, with the men competing in Plano, Texas, and the women in Tucson.

Freshman Andrew Barnett made it to the quarterfinals of the Flight 1 Singles consolation bracket. The sophomore doubles team of Raphael Sepulveda and David Tellez advanced to the quarterfinals of Flight 2.

On the women’s side, freshman Gabriela Rodriguez reached the semifinals of the singles No. 1 consolation bracket. Sophomore Lori Cinnamond made it to the finals of the singles No. 3 consolation bracket.

Cinnamond and sophomore Ana Gallardo advanced to the semifinals of the doubles No. 2 consolation bracket.

The women’s tournament was held at the Reffkin Tennis Center.

Men’s golf ranks 18th at Nationals

The men’s golf team finished in 18th place at Nationals, while the women’s team was unable to field a team due to illness.

The men shot a three-round total of 933 at the rain-shortened Nationals at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail River Course, in Owens Crossroads, Ala.

Freshman Anthony Grijalva led the way for the Aztecs with a 227 (74, 78, 75), good enough for 50th place overall.

Sophomore Nicole Gentry missed the Nationals with an illness, so the women were unable to compete as a team.

The women’s tournament, held at the LPGA International Course in Daytona Beach, Fla., was also shortened by rain. Sophomore Brianne Anderson finished in 39th place, shooting 257 (80, 90, 85).

Elizabeth Livingston

Freshman Jennifer Candanoza finished 42nd with 260 (83, 88, 89), while sophomore Elizabeth Livingston finished 66th with 276 (97, 86, 93).

Online Extra: Men’s tennis finishes 19th at Nationals

By James Kelley
Photo by Steve Choice

Just like the women’s team, the Pima Community College men’s tennis team finished 19th at Nationals, but the men did so in Texas, not at home.

The Aztecs scored 9.5 points, also like the women, at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Tennis National Championships at Plano, Texas.

Andrew Barnett

Freshman Andrew Barnett made it to the quarterfinals of the Flight 1 Singles consolation bracket. Freshman Matt Lancaster also made it to the consolation quarterfinals, in Flight 5.

The sophomore doubles team of Raphael Sepulveda and David Tellez made it to the quarterfinals of Flight 2.

Online Extra: Women’s tennis finishes 19th at Nationals

By Steve Choice and James Kelley
Photo by Daniel Gaona

The Pima Community College women’s tennis team finished 19th at Nationals.

The Aztecs scored 9.5 points at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Tennis National Championships at Reffkin Tennis Center in Tucson.

“I was very happy with a top-20 finish in DI nationals,” head coach Gretchen Schantz said. “This year’s team had the most overall improvement I’ve seen in one season.”

Freshman Gabriela Rodriguez made it to the semifinals of the singles No. 1 consolation bracket. Sophomore Lori Cinnamond made it to the finals of the singles No. 3 consolation bracket.

Gabriela Rodriguez

Cinnamond and sophomore Ana Gallardo made it to the semifinals of the doubles No. 2 consolation bracket.

“We finished the year ahead of teams we had lost to early in the season,” Schantz said. “I’m looking forward to continuing that same improvement next year with the returning freshmen and with some new talented players.”

Last year the Aztecs finished 18th at Nationals.

Moustafa confident for success in the long-run

By Chris Beck
Photo by Daniel Gaona

As the Pima Community College men’s tennis team earned its place at nationals, head coach Sharif Moustafa was named coach of the year in the Arizona region.

Originally born in Minnesota, Moustafa moved to Arizona as a child and quickly picked up tennis. Even from a young age, it was clear that the game was his calling.

“I was recruited to go to Phoenix when I was 16 to play for a junior tennis program,” Moustafa said. “I was the top-ranked southwest player.”

His skill took him to the University of Arizona, where he played for the tennis team. Unfortunately an injury ended his collegiate career.

Sharif Moustafa

Although his career at UA was cut short, his time there proved to be helpful and maybe even critical to his recent coaching success.

“I was coached by guys who coached top-25 players in the world,” Moustafa said. “I was very fortunate to have them as head coaches.”

While the 2010 season was his first at PCC, Moustafa had plenty of coaching experience before he arrived on campus.

He served as head pro at Club Yuma Fitness Center and as a pro for the Ron Smith Tennis Academy in Tucson. He has been a pro at the Tucson Racquet & Fitness Club since 2007.

“I had been coaching top juniors in the nation for four years,” Moustafa said. “When I heard the Pima job was open, I felt like I could bring what I knew about the community and what I knew about tennis into Pima and make it a national team.”

After a single season, Moustafa has no doubt achieved his goal. The team will head to Plano, Texas, on May 10-14 to compete for the national title.

In preparations for nationals, Moustafa is putting his team through grueling training in order to stay in top shape. His techniques prove that being coach of the year is not about babying players.

“The kids knew coming in that I was going to be one of the toughest coaches they ever had to face,” Moustafa said. “Especially with nationals coming in, they have been running three miles in the sand every day so I can get them prepared.”

“We are playing in Texas, which has the highest humidity, so I have to be able to strategize and get my players to not cramp out there.”

These strategies, among many others, have boosted PCC onto the national scene and earned Moustafa coach of the year honors. While the league recognizes his coaching excellence, he acknowledges that he could not do it without his players.

“I couldn’t be here without these players,” Moustafa said. “Without their heart and talent and the will that they put in for me. They are the ones, I just assisted them.”

In a single year at Pima, Moustafa has had incredible success with the team and only has higher expectations for seasons to come.

“My future plan is to build Pima to be a top-ranked team nationally,” he said.

Men’s Tennis Nationals lineup
Singles
No. 1 Andrew Barnett
No. 2 Alan Barrios
No. 3 David Tellez
No. 4 Default
No. 5 Rafael Sepulveda
No. 6 Matt Lancaster
Doubles
No. 1 Default
No. 2 Barrios/Sepulveda
No. 3 Lancaster/Tellez

Women’s tennis on late-season hot streak

By Steve Choice
Photo by Steve Choice

The Pima Community College women’s tennis team capped off its late-season surge with a strong showing at the National Junior College Athletic Association national tournament, held May 2-6 at the Reffkin Tennis Center in Tucson.

“I am very happy how the season is ending,” head coach Gretchen Schantz said. “This year’s team improved after every match and peaked exactly when we needed to, at regionals and nationals. We are now beating teams that we lost to in the beginning of the season with authority.”

The national tourney had not concluded at press time, but a top-20 finish for Pima was all but assured, according to Schantz.

Three Aztecs were still alive in their respective draws as play wrapped up on Day Three of the competition.

Freshman Gabriela Rodriguez and sophomore Lori Cinnamond punched their tickets to the consolation draw semifinals in singles play, while Cinnamond and sophomore Ana Gallardo advanced in the doubles consolation bracket.

The tournament is double-elimination, which means a player that loses early can still rack up victories in the “back draw”.

Freshman Lucy Gaynor continued her flair for the dramatic at No. 5 singles against Marley Myers from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College on Day Two.

Gaynor spotted the visitor from Georgia a 5-2 lead in both sets, but mounted furious comebacks in each one. Gaynor frustrated the lanky southerner with her effective defensive game, and Myers’ impatience led her to commit numerous unforced errors.

Gaynor also sent many well-placed passing shots past her opponent, to the delight of her teammates eating lunch courtside and cheering her on. Despite her spirited effort, she fell short, 7-5, 6-4.

Lucy Gaynor and Daisy Quezada

“I always have hope that I’m going to come back,” the native of San Carlos, Mexico said. “I never give up.”

Gaynor is already primed for next season, especially since she will be able to get in a whole year’s worth of training with the team.
“I didn’t start on the team until January this past year, so I was a little behind,” said Gaynor, who has only been playing tennis for five years. “I’m going to start in August this time, so I’m going to rock. I’m going to come with the big guns next year.”

The Aztecs will be without the services of Cinnamond, Gallardo and Ashley Oesterle in 2011, but Schantz remains optimistic about the squad’s future.

“I have half the team returning next year, and I am looking forward to seeing them continue to improve.”

With an almost certain top-20 showing at nationals as their springboard, the whole Aztec team will look to level their sights on their opponents next year.

Visit AztecPressOnline.com for updates.