Pirates make successful return to court, beat Antelope Valley 8-1

After 15 years and an added week because of rainouts, the Porterville College women's tennis team finally returned to the court and was triumphant in an 8-1 win at Antelope Valley College on Friday.

Kurt Nielsen's squad swept all six singles matches and suffered just one defeat to the Marauders at No. 2 doubles.

Leading the way was Claire Nuno at No. 1 singles. She was a 6-1, 6-4 winner and teamed up with Eileen Counihan-Rooney at No. 1 doubles to earn an 8-1 victory.

Counihan-Rooney won her No. 2 singles match by a scores of 6-1, 6-3.

At No. 3 singles, Raquel Calo won 6-3, 6-1, Viviana Meza won at No. 4 by scores of 6-2, 6-1, and at No. 5 Neelam Aziz won 6-1,6-1. Vanessa Chavez had the most dominant victory at No. 6, blanking her opponent 6-0, 6-0.

The No. 3 doubles team of Zoe Vasquez and Annabelle Rivera won 8-1 while Calo and Meza lost by a score of 8-3 at No. 2 doubles.

Porterville (1-0) will look to keep the momentum going when the Pirates return to action on Saturday at 10 a.m. (weather permitting) at College of the Canyons. PC is scheduled to play its first seven matches on the road before hosting Bakersfield College in its home opener on Feb. 22 at 1 p.m.