VENTURA – The Orange Coast College (Costa Mesa) women’s tennis team fell one match shy of carrying out a perfect season culminating with a state championship in falling to American River College (Sacramento), 5-3, in the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Championship match at Ventura College on the first day of the 121st Ojai Tennis Tournament on Wednesday.
Orange Coast (21-1) received singles victories from sophomore Maddy Veltri, who breezed past Bella Hernandez, 6-0, 6-1, and freshman Olivia Sipiora, who dominated Mandi Pinkerton, 6-3, 6-0. Veltri partnered with Logan Koitka in No. 1 doubles to defeat American River’s Carla Montaruli and Davina Escalante, 8-6. Montaruli clinched the state title for the Beavers (14-3) with a win in No. 1 singles over Koitka, 2-6, 6-1, 6-1.
The Pirates open play in the Men’s and Women’s CCCAA State Individual Championships at The Ojai on Thursday. OCC features five singles players – sophomores Koitka and Veltri and freshmen Sedona Smith, Olivia Sipiora and Camila Nelson – and three doubles teams (Smith-Sipiora, Koitka-Veltri and Nelson and freshman Leanne Pascua) in the Women’s CCCAA State Individual tournament.
In the Men’s CCCAA State Individual tournament, the Pirates are represented in singles by freshmen Ryan Magers and Logan Friedman – both graduates of Corona del Mar High School – and in doubles through the teams of Magers and freshman Will Davis (Huntington Beach High), Friedman and sophomore Kai Rodriguez (Fountain Valley High), and freshmen Chris Mietkiewicz and Anis Benamar Kerfah.
The CCCAA State Team and Individual Championship events returned to the Ojai Tennis Tournament this year for the first time since 2019.
American River College 5, Orange Coast College 3
Doubles
1. Koitka/Veltri (OCC) def. Montaruli/Escalante (ARC), 8-6
2. Pinkerton/White (ARC) def. Smith/Sipiora (OCC), 8-5
3. Hernandez/Reddick (ARC) def. Nelson/Pascua (OCC), 9-8 (10-8)
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
Singles
1. Carla Montaruli (ARC) def. Logan Koitka (OCC), 2-6, 6-1, 6-1
2. Davina Escalante (ARC) def. Camila Nelson (OCC), 7-6 (8-6), 6-2
3. Maiah White (ARC) def. Sedona Smith (OCC), 6-3, 6-4
4. Madeleine Veltri (OCC) def. Bella Hernandez (ARC), 6-0, 6-1
5. Olivia Sipiora (OCC) def. Mandi Pinkerton (ARC), 6-3, 6-0
6. Leanne Pascua (OCC) up vs. Lane Reddick (ARC), 7-5, 5-6, DNF
Order of Finish: 4, 5, 2, 3, 1
Photo Credit: Ventura College Athletics