Playing well in the opening sets, Burbank (7-3, 4-2 in league) took a 5-1 advantage after the first round.
“I was disappointed with the way we played in that first round,” said Glendale Coach Bob Davidson, whose team is 5-4, 3-3. “It’s just hard to have to fight back after being down like that. But give Burbank credit, they played well in that first round.”
One key to the first-round success was the play of Burbank No. 1 singles player Tatevik Harutyunyan, who defeated Glendale No. 1 Sevana Zargarian, 6-0.
Harutyunyan won her other two sets, 6-4, 6-0.
“That first round was huge for us and Tatevik played especially well against their No. 1,” Burbank Coach Loi Phan said. “Getting out in front early helped us a lot.”
Phan was also impressed with the play of his No. 2 singles player, Sun-Mo Koo, who won two, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
“[Koo] really came through for us today, winning two,” Phan said. “That was something that I wasn’t expecting.”
Burbank also benefited from a sweep by its No. 1 doubles team of Alice Karaian and Ashley Basco, which went, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 6-4. The team’s No. 2 duo of Ayesha Ibrahim and Aaniya Ibrahim won two, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1, as did Emily Yun and Chantelle Truong, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.
The Nitros received two set wins from its No. 2 doubles player, Samantha Sismundo, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0, and two from its No. 1 doubles team of Samantha Jaramillo and Adrine Babakhanyan, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-1.
With the Bulldogs and Nitros fighting for the runner-up spot in league behind Arcadia, Davidson said every match should be important the rest of the way.
“Arcadia just has too much depth,” Davidson said.
Said Phan: “I think us, [Crescenta Valley] and Glendale are all just about the same. It will just depend which team is able to step up the rest of the way.”
