The Burbank High girls’ tennis team may have a lot of new faces, but the Bulldogs are back in the CIF Southern Section semifinals.
A year after qualifying in Division 5, the Bulldogs have continued to keep the season going. Monday they defeated visiting Santiago High of Corona 81-70 in game after both teams each won nine sets.
With just three returning players from last season, Burbank has done enough to keep the season alive.
“The main part of being a team is working together. You have to work together, no matter whether you win or not,” Bulldog sophomore Elin Stepanian said. “You have to keep a good mindset when you are playing. You just have to try to play your best and never give up.”
Burbank won six sets in singles and three in doubles, but had enough to squeeze past the visiting Sharks.
The Bulldogs are expected to host Flintridge Prep on Wednesday. Flintridge Prep defeated the Archer School for Girls in another quarterfinal matchup. Archer School for Girls is expected to file a protest with the CIF Southern Section.
Santiago’s No. 1 player, Dallas Jackson, won all three sets.
She defeated Burbank No. 1 Daphne Harbaugh, 6-1, won 7-6(9-7) over Stepanian and defeated Astghik Tombakian, 6-1.
Harbaugh won 6-1 over Santiago No. 2 player Paytin Sundberg and 6-1 over No. 3 player, Michaela Carter.
Stepanian defeated Sundberg 6-3 and Carter, 6-0.
Tombakian won 6-1 over both Sundberg and Carter.
In doubles, all three of Burbank’s teams earned a victory over the Santiago No. 2 team of Neveah Watson and Leah Taha.
Burbank’s No. 1 team of senior Toma Khachatryan and freshman Elizabeth Tsaturyan won 6-4 over Watson and Taha. They fell 6-4 to the No. 1 team of Gwendolyn Milkie and Katherine Yi and lost 6-4 to the No. 3 team of Aivy Nguyen and Vivien Lee.
Burbank’s No. 2 doubles team of freshman Sona Meenasian and sophomore Eliza Gevorgyan defeated Watson and Taha, 6-3. They fell 6-3 to Milkie and Yi and 6-3 to Nguyen and Lee.
The Burbank No. 3 team of sophomore Gabriella Abramian and freshman Maryam Tayabji won 6-1 over Watson and Taha. They fell 6-0 to Milkie and Yi and lost 6-4 to Nguyen and Lee.
