The Pirates' men's tennis team opened the 2023 season with a convincing 8-1 victory over Bakersfield Thursday at the VC Tennis Center. Julian Tellez and Jared Gillespie made easy work of their No. 3 doubles match before each won in singles. Jinsei Tajima and Santino Serralonga won in No. 1 doubles, along with Nos. 1 and 2 singles while Lucas Abreau and Eduardo Gorgonio Criscuolo claimed the No. 2 doubles match and Criscuolo won in singles for Ventura (1-0, 1-0).
Tellez and Gillespie got the day started off right with an 8-0 win in No. 3 doubles. Tajima and Serralonga followed with an 8-4 win at No. 1 doubles before Abreau and Criscuolo claimed the No. 3 doubles match, 8-5.
In singles, Criscuolo won his No. 6 match one and love before Tajima triumphed in the No. 1 slot, 6-2, 6-1 to clinch the match for VC. Gillespie prevailed in No. 5 singles, 6-2, 6-0 and Tellez claimed the No. 4 singles match, 6-0, 6-2. Serralonga completed the Pirate point total with a victory in No. 2 singles, 6-2, 6-4.
Ventura next hosts Fullerton in a non-conference match on Friday Feb. 3 at 2:00 pm.
Ventura 8, Bakersfield 1
Doubles
1. Tajima/Serralonga (VC) def. Jimenez/Nguyen (BC) 8-4
2. Abreau/Crisccuolo (VC) def. Specht/Yackovich (BC) 8-5
3. Tellez/Gillespie (VC) def. Gimena/Alvarez (BC), 8-0
Singles
1. Jinsei Tajima (VC) def. Sage Nguyen (BC), 6-2, 6-1
2. Santino Serralonga (VC) def. Lucas Specht (BC), 6-2, 6-4
3. Lucas Abreau (VC) lost to Moses Jimenez (BC), 4-6, 6-4, 10-4
4. Julian Tellez (VC) def. Brett Yackovich (BC) 6-0, 6-2
5. Jared Gillespie (VC) def. Clarjerson Gimena (BC) 6-2, 6-0
6. Eduardo Gorgonio Criscuolo (VC) def. Alec Alvarez (BC) 6-1, 6-0