Rice is nice for Pirates

Freshman Jessica Rice won both her singles and doubles women’s tennis

matches to help lead Orange Coast College to a 7-2 nonconference

victory over visiting Cerritos Tuesday.

Rice paired with Michelle Esquivel to beat the No. 1 doubles team

of Mara Petrini and Kenya Fregoso, 8-5. Rice then went on to beat

Ashley Vachirajongkol, 6-1, 6-2, in the No. 2 singles match.

Esquivel defeated Petrini in the No. 1 singles, 6-3, 6-4.

Rice and Esquivel were among five different OCC tennis players

tasted victory Tuesday for OCC, who improved to 2-0.

Rachael Sessum and Julie Haley defeated Virginia Orellana and

Jhenzier Gordon, 8-4, in the No. 3 doubles. Sessum defeated Orellana,

6-2, 6-4, in the No. 6 singles and Haley defeated Bernice Ceja, 6-1,

6-7 (3), 6-1, in the No. 4 singles.

Ai Takamori defeated Gordon, 6-0, 6-2, in the No. 5 singles.

“Everybody played real well,” Coach Janice Maran said. “I think

Jessica [Rice] really soared. She was awesome in doubles and was

dominating in singles.”

The Pirates open Orange Empire Conference play at Cypress College

Thursday at 2 p.m.

OCC handles IVC

* The Orange Coast College men’s tennis team defeated visiting

Irvine Valley, 6-2, in an Orange Empire Conference opener Tuesday

afternoon.

No. 2 singles player Jared Hayley swept his opponent, 6-0, 6-0, as

the Pirates improved to 2-0, 1-0 in the OEC. Spencer Soloman, Colby

Morita, Horoshi Muto and Scott Fielder all defeated their opponents

in the singles category for Coast.

Coast hosts Cypress Thursday at 2 p.m.