GLENDALE — While the Glendale Community College contingent wrapped up its trip to Ojai, Glendale resident Maureen Diaz got hers started emphatically on Friday.
Diaz moved on to the semifinals of the Women’s Open Singles tournament at the 108th annual Ojai Valley Tournament, while Glendale college’s three remaining singles players and lone doubles squad were eliminated.
“On a whole, I think our team played really well,” Vaqueros men’s Coach Bob MacKay said. “I think they had a good tournament.”
Diaz, the Women’s Open Singles No. 1 seed, got past Zoe Scandalis in the Round of 16 in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. She moved on to the semis with a quarterfinal dismantling of Sabrina Santamaria, 6-0, 6-0.
She’ll face Logan Hansen today at 9:30 a.m. Diaz and Anita Loyola begin play in the doubles tournament at 12:30 p.m. today, as well.
Glendale college’s Matthew Taoatao, on the heels of upsetting ninth-seeded KC Ensley on Thursday, fell against Fresno’s Troy Kellenberger, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) on Friday morning in the Men’s Community College Singles Round of 16.
“That was a great win [on Thursday] and a tough loss [on Friday],” MacKay said. “He was pretty tired [Friday] morning.
“He played a great tournament and this is a great building block.”
In women’s community college singles, GCC’s Miyuki Yokozuka lost in the Round of 32 to Cuesta’s Chloe Redman, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Friday morning.
Glendale college’s Meldia Hacopian lost to Rylee Stowell of Saddleback, 6-4, 6-4 in the Round of 32, as well.
In Men’s Open Doubles, GCC’s Emanuel Haug and Ryan Stansbury, the 11th seed, came back to defeat Stewart Hutton and Brendan Kuhlman, 0-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the Round of 16. They fell to sixth-seeded Yuki Asai and Jarrett Huk, 6-1, 6-1, however.
“This was a really good team,” said MacKay of the six seed. “It was windy and they used the conditions more to their liking.”
Up next for the GCC players are the Southern California Regionals, which begin Thursday in Fresno.
“Hopefully this will be another stepping stone,” MacKay said. “We’ll see what we can do in regionals.”
Taoatao will play in singles, as will Hacopian. Both will be in doubles, as well, with Greg Arutyunyan and Monique Palmera, respectively.
Men’s teams of Haug and Stanbury and Marko Gortinski and Mike Patayan will also participate, as will the women’s team of Sonia Rodriguez and Yokozuka.
At Ojai on Saturday, Glendale High graduate Robert Yim and Rylan Rizza, the third seed, open play in the Men’s Open Doubles at 2 p.m. today.
