Rams make playoffs; receive Conference Co-Coach of the Year
TENNIS
By Andres Velasquez
andresvelasquez621@gmail.com
As the season comes to a draw, the City College Women’s Tennis team finishes off on a high note with Coach Kelly Hickey being awarded Co-Conference Coach of the Year on April 5.
Led by Coach Hickey, the Rams have enjoyed one of their best seasons in recent years, finishing the season with an 11-7 overall record and a conference record of 10-4.
In conference play, the Rams did extremely well. “The Coast conference is one of the most competitive in Northern California. Each match we are battling and ended up 10-4 in conference,” Coach Hickey said.
The team was able to finish with such a good conference record despite having to face tough conference rivals like De Anza College and Chabot College.
Towards the end of the season it was uncertain if the team would advance to the Nor-Cal team playoffs due to the fact that several schools were challenging for the 8th playoff spot.
Eventually, the Rams did just enough to make it through to the playoffs holding on to the 8th and final playoff spot, and on April 10 visited American River College to start of their journey in the playoffs. Their journey was cut short in a 5-0 defeat to American River.
The loss to American River does not tell the full story of the Rams’ season as a whole. It was a season in which the team fought hard until the very end where they were rewarded with a berth in the playoffs.
The Rams have, however, had more success in the Nor-Cal doubles playoffs. On April 5, the pairing of freshman Zee Aynaci and sophomore Yvonne Ng qualified for the State Championships.
Ng, who was the second ranked player on the team for much, if not all of the season, will be looking to do well in what will be her final time playing as a member of the City College Women’s Tennis team.
The pair’s qualification to the State Championships came on the same day that Coach Kelly Hickey was named the Co-Conference Coach of the Year. Hickey said, “It is amazing to be recognized by my peers in the coast conference and to be named Co-Coach of the year.”
The Rams hope to continue building off of the great season that they had this year. Hickey said, “Overall it was an extremely successful season,” and added that the team is “excited for next season to hopefully continue the success of this season.”
