Women's tennis battles back to earn split on the week with RCC

Women's tennis battles back to earn split on the week with RCC

Irvine Valley's women's tennis team bounced back from a tough loss on Tuesday with its best win of the season on Thursday.

The Lasers, down, 4-1, at one point in the contest, came back for a 5-4 win after freshman fifth player Amethyst Lam won her match.

IVC, competing with five players, defaulted at the No. 3 position and was down, 2-1 after the doubles round. IVC picked up a victory at No. 2 doubles with freshman Sydney Grove and Valeska Fernandez winning, 8-4.

Irvine Valley's top team of Soleil Zsibrita and Nicole Harper lost a tough one, 9-7.

In doubles, Irvine Valley defaulted the No. 6 match to be down, 3-1.

And Riverside picked up another win at No 2 singles to go ahead, 4-1.

But Irvine Valley's Zsibrita earned a 6-4, 6-0 win on the first court to get IVC closer and then Harper (6-2, 6-1 at No. 2 singles) and Fernandez (6-4, 6-1 at No. 3 singles) evened the score at 4-4.

It came down to the fifth court and Lam toughed out a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 triumph to give Irvine Valley its third victory of the season.

Irvine Valley improved its record to 3-3 overall. The Lasers finish their 2021 season with two matches next week against Saddleback. IVC hosts Saddleback in a conference match on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

Tuesday recap

Irvine Valley put up a good fight, but had too far to come back from in a 7-2 Orange Empire Conference loss at Riverside on Tuesday afternoon.

The defeat dropped the Lasers' record to 2-3 overall.

Irvine Valley was down, 3-0, after the doubles matches.

Competing with five players, IVC had to default at the No. 3 position.

The Lasers' No. 2 team of freshmen Sydney Grove and Valeska Hernandez were right there, but fell, 9-7.

Irvine Valley's top team of freshmen Soleil Zsibrita and Nicole Harper lost, 8-3.

In singles, IVC picked up wins in straight sets from Zsibrita in the top spot and Fernandez at the No. 4 position.

Harper was close, but lost in three close sets at No. 3 singles.