La Puente, CA—Colton hit the road last Thursday to take on Nogales High on their home turf. It was a difficult match for the Yellowjackets, and they went home with the L, losing 4 sets to 14.
Colton’s doubles struggled against the Nobles’ overwhelming strength. Number one doubles Christopher Lopez/Xavier Rocha had a difficult time against the Nobles’ top-ranked team, losing to them 2-6.
The rest of Colton’s doubles followed suit, with both Ivan Acosta/Nicholas Valtierra and Andrew Ibarra/Carlos Martinez losing a majority of their matches. Only Acosta/Valtierra notched a victory against Nogales, in a 6-1 set versus the substitutes for their number 1 team.
However the same cannot be said for Colton’s #1 single Daniel Garcia, who after nearly losing against Nogales #1 single, Marco P., fought back to win the set 6-4.
Following this victory, Garcia would go on to beat all of Nogales’s highest-ranked singles, breaking through each of their powerful serves, winning 6-4, 6-2, 6-1.
Head Coach Omar Menjivar commented on Garcia’s monumental comeback. “Before I had a chance to even tell him, he figured it out. Tennis is all about hitting the ball one more time, and finding that flow to hit the ball with confidence.”
After suffering both defeats and victories, Colton prepares themselves for the end of preseason. While this defeat cut their winning streak early, men’s tennis is not out of the race yet.
Their next match is Tuesday, Mar. 5 against San Gorgonio at Colton. Game time is 3:00 PM.