WHITTIER, Calif. – Santa Barbara City College traveled to take on Whittier College (NCAA Division III) in a non-conference matchup on Thursday, falling 5-2 in a competitive contest on Thursday.
Doubles Round
The Vaqueros' No. 1 doubles team of Mauritz Seitz and Ludi Chan delivered an impressive 6-3 victory.
"In doubles, Maurtiz and I did a great job keeping the ball in play and forcing our opponents into making mistakes," said Chan. "We were able to use opportunities to attack the net."
At No. 2 doubles, Ada Guler and Loris Alem played a tight set but fell just short, 5-7. They showed glimpses of high-percentage doubles play, competing well and supporting each other through momentum swings. A few more well-placed returns could have shifted the outcome.
Singles Play
Freshman Ludi Chan shined in the No. 2 singles spot, earning a hard-fought 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) win over Whittier's Ahmed Amer.
"Ludi showed mental toughness today in 90-degree heat," said head coach Danny Echt. "Amer applied a lot of pressure, attacking nearly every ball near the service line and coming to the net aggressively. Ludi didn't panic—he forced difficult volley positions and turned defense into offense. It was a bit of a track meet out there, but Ludi's clutch serving in the second-set tiebreak made the difference."
Building for the Future
Despite the loss, the Vaqueros continue to benefit from facing strong Division III competition.
"We're fortunate to compete against teams of this caliber. The experience gained in these matches is helping us improve, and it's valuable for our players to see what the next level looks and feels like," said Echt.
SBCC (0-4) now turns its focus back to conference play, traveling to Bakersfield on Tuesday for its next matchup.
