A year ago the Burbank High girls’ tennis team qualified for the CIF Southern Section Division 5 semifinals.
Just three players returned this season from that group, and the Bulldogs were bumped to Division 3, which is actually moving up three divisions because last year the CIF had an open division and this year there is no open division.
So with a young lineup of mostly freshmen and sophomores, Burbank has come to together in the playoffs once again.
The Bulldogs defeated visiting Walnut 11-7 in the second round of the playoffs on Friday.
“I don’t think we realize how big of a deal it is to win these past two games,” senior Daphne Harbaugh said.
Burbank will play again on Monday at home against Santiago Corona High, a 10-8 winner over West Ranch of Stevenson Ranch.
Harbaugh, Burbank’s No.1 singles player, won two of her three sets.
She defeated Keona Chang 6-4, won a thrilling tie breaker of Shimmer Zhu going 7-6(8-6) and lost 6-2 to Phoebe Uy.
Burbank No. 2 singles player Elin Sepanian, a sophomore, went 6-4, 6-2, 0-6 to Chang, Zhu and Uy, respectively.
No. 3 player Astghik Tombakian, a freshman, went 6-0, 6-4 and lost 7-6 to Uy.
In doubles, Burbank’s No. 1 team of senior Toma Khachatryan and freshman Elizabeth Tsaturyan won all three sets. They defeated the Walnut team of Maddy Ly and Stef Liu, 6-4. They defeated the No. 2 team of Addy Wu and Brigitte Hsieh, 6-2 and the No. 3 team of Kalisha Davis and Megan Bui, 6-3.
Burbank’s No. 2 doubles team of freshman Sona Meenasian and sophomore Eliza Gevorgyan went 7-5, 3-6, 3-6.
The Burbank No.3 team of sophomore Gabriella Abramian and freshman Maryam Tayabji went 6-3, 1-6, 1-6.
