College of the Desert captured the CCCAA state men's tennis championship on Wednesday with a 5-1 win over Football College in Ventura. It was the 15th state title for the Roadrunners.
COD has won more state titles in men's tennis than any program in the state but hadn't won a title since last winning the championship in 2011. The Roadrunners were desperate to get back into the winner's circle and facing a Foothill program that has 10 state titles, but hasn't won the trophy since 1997.
Desert put a stamp on things on Wednesday, winning 2-of-3 doubles matches before making quick work of the Owls in singles matches 1-through-3 in putting an end to the contest. Desert also led in 2-of-3 of the remaining matches, which were all stopped after they reached the magic number of five wins.
Kalman Boyd and Alex Kuperstein played against one-another in the PCAC singles finals last week, but teamed on Wednesday to defeat Nick Khamphilath and Ryo Kojima in the most heated doubles match of the day. The duo defeated their counterparts, 8-6, before heading into singles play.
Both Boyd and Kuperstein then raced to easy wins in singles play as Desert built up a 4-1 lead. Boyd was a 6-0, 6-0 winner against Evan Gazikian while Kuperstein defeated Kojima 6-2, 6-0. The final point of the team match was on court three where Manfred Vogt defeated Khamphilath 7-6, 6-3.
College of the Desert 5, Foothill 1
Doubles
1. Boyd/Kuperstein (COD) def. Khamphilath/Kojima (FC), 8-6
2. Vogt/Gomez Romero (COD) def. Vigdorchik/Tokuyama (FC), 8-2
3. Maeda/Justin Ip (FC) def. Rogovski/Hosain (COD), 8-4
Singles
1. Kalman Boyd (COD) def. Evan Gazikian (FC), 6-0, 6-0
2. Alex Kuperstein (COD) def. Ryo Kojima (FC), 6-2, 6-0
3. Manfred Vogt (COD) def. Nick Khamphilath (FC), 7-6 (7), 6-3
4. Taiki Maeda (FC) vs. Saar Rogovski (COD), 2-6, 7-5, 3-1, DNF
5. Sebastian Gomez Romero (COD) vs. Yu Tokuyama (FC), 4-6, 6-3, 5-2, DNF
6. Syed Hosain (COD) vs. Levi Vigdorchik (FC), 2-6, 6-0, 3-2, DNF