KNIGHTS HEADED TO STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER DEFEATING PCC IN SOCAL REGIONAL FINAL, 16-5

The San Diego City College women's badminton team has earned a trip to the California Community College Athletic Association State Championship for the second consecutive year after defeating Pasadena City College (10-4), 16-5, in the Southern California regional dual final on Wednesday. The undefeated SDCC Knights (9-0) have now won 19 straight matches dating back to last season, including the 2012 state championship, and will be looking to get their fifth state title when they take on Northern California's DeAnza College on Thursday, May 9 at Pasadena City College.

The Knights, champions of the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference, got off to a great start by winning five of the first six singles matches and all three of the first round doubles matches to take a commanding 10-1 lead. SDCC's Darby Duprat, in the No. 1 position, edged out PCC's No. 2 Alice Liew, 21-18, 21-19, to round out the first round of singles matches. The No. 2 doubles team of Duprat and Thao Nguyen needed three tough games (22-20, 15-21, 21-14) to get past PCC's No. 1 duo of Angie Ortiz and Alice Liew.

"I think we did really well today," said SDCC Head Coach Son Nguyen, who took over in 2006 and has led the Knights to all four of their titles. "All season long we've been playing at an OK level, but today they stepped it up and played a very very good game."

SDCC clinched the victory over PCC early in the second round of singles matches when No. 5 Cassandra Ka defeated No. 5 Alex Palacios, 21-16, 21-9. The Knights ended up winning four of the six second round singles matches to go ahead 14-3. Duprat lost, 21-15, 21-11, for the first time this season to PCC's Ortiz in that round, but recovered to win the next doubles match with teammate Nguyen over PCC's Shaghig Avadisian and Palacios.

Four Knights, including Nguyen, Ka, Lena Van, and Kareen Escobedo, remained undefeated in singles competition so far this season at 18-0 each. Duprat is now 17-1 and Sophia Tran is 14-4 in the No. 2 position.

The No. 2 doubles team of Nguyen/Duprat remained undefeated at 18-0 after winning both matches Wednesday. The No. 3 team of Ka/Escobedo also remains unbeaten at 8-0 and No. 1 Tran/Van are now 17-1 after splitting Wednesday's matches.

The Knights will now advance to the state championship match where they will play DeAnza, who is also an undefeated 9-0 on the season, for a chance at a fifth CCCAA state title. The match will be played at Pasadena College's Hutto-Patterson Gymnasium on Thursday, May 9 at 3 p.m.

SDCC won state championships in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2012.

SCORING RECAP

1st Round Singles
#1 Darby Duprat (SDCC) def. #2 Alice Liew (PCC), 21-18, 21-19
#1 Angie Ortiz (PCC) def. #2 Sophia Tran (SDCC), 21-12, 21-7
#3 Thao Nguyen (SDCC) def. #4 Alyssa Boyt (PCC), 21-6, 21-8
#4 Lena Van (SDCC) def. #3 Shaghig Avadisian (PCC), 21-16, 21-18
#5 Cassandra Ka (SDCC) def. #6 Serena Yan (PCC) 21-5, 21-6
#6 Kareen Escobedo (SDCC) def. #5 Alex Palacios (PCC), 21-19, 21-6

1st Round Doubles
#1 Tran/Van (SDCC) def. #2 Avadisian/Palacios (PCC), 21-13, 21-11
#2 Duprat/Nguyen def #1 Ortiz/Liew (PCC), 22-20, 15-21, 21-14
#3 Ka/Escobedo (SDCC) def. #3 Boyt/Yan (PCC), 21-8, 21-5

2nd Round Singles
#1 Angie Ortiz (PCC) def. #1 Darby Duprat (SDCC), 21-15, 21-11
#2 Alice Liew (PCC) def. #2 Sophia Tran (SDCC), 18-21, 21-16, 21-11
#3 Thao Nguyen def. Shaghig Avadisian 21-10, 21-9
#4 Lena Van def. Alyssa Boyt 21-10, 21-14
#5 Cassandra Ka def. Alex Palacios 21-16, 21-9
#6 Kareen Escobedo def. Serena Yan 21-6, 21-4

2nd Round Doubles
#1 Ortiz/Liew (PCC) def. Tran/Van (SDCC), 21-19, 21-14
#2 Nguyen/Duprat (SDCC) def. Avadisian/Palacios (PCC), 21-9, 21-12