By Hayden Kulick

The Riverside City College women’s tennis team has been dominant all year and looks to show off in the Southern California Regional tournament.

After winning their first tournament match against Bakersfield on April 5, they will be officially moving on to the second round.

The team has posted multiple shutouts and only lost 2 total matches this year. One of their two losses was against conference opponent Orange Coast College and was enough to make them co-conference champions. 

Outside of their two losses, RCC didn’t come close to facing a loss in any of their other matches. 

“Teams are a little weaker than we are used to,” head tennis coach Nikki Bonzoumet said. “We have a great team this year and we’ve worked really hard and our record shows it.”

RCC was without their full lineup in their one conference loss. Even when short handed, they still gave Orange Coast a tough time losing 5-4.

 “We did not have our full lineup on the day that we lost to Orange Coast,” Bonzoumet said when asked about their losses for the year. “I believe that we are the better team for sure.”

RCC’s team is headlined by doubles partners Jillian Stark and Samantha Treat who are undefeated as doubles partners on the year.

“With my weak spots she covers me and I cover her,” Stark said when asked about their chemistry. “it’s kind of like sisterly love.”

Those two women aren’t the only two great players on the team. All of the athletes on the team have positive records on the season.

“We have 10 players total and all those girls could fill in at any time and be able to compete in a match where we come out as the victor,” Bonzoumet said. “They’ve been working hard and they deserve it.”

The Tigers will face off against College of the Desert on April 12 in the second round of the Southern California Regional Tournament.