Pirates’ ship sinks

For a photo gallery of the match, click here.

COSTA MESA — Once Brittany Bass and Brittnie Furuvald heard a loud scream at Orange Coast College, they knew the Pirates’ undefeated season was over.

It wasn’t a cry for help, just the Grossmont College women’s tennis team celebrating on the court right next to Bass and Furuvald.

The No. 3-seeded Griffins clinched the Southern California Regional Dual Team Championship, beating No. 1 OCC, 5-2, Tuesday.

Bass and Furuvald just let go of their racquets. The freshmen tried to do their part in No. 1 doubles play to help the Pirates (18-1) advance to the state team championship and possibly win the program its 11th state title.

The twosome had Grossmont freshman Vanesa Reibstein and sophomore Brianna McClintock on the ropes. An unfamiliar place for Reibstein and McClintock, who Coach Megan Haber said went into the match 25-0 in doubles action.

Not once had they played a third set until Bass and Furuvald made them Tuesday.

But getting payback on a team that recently beat Bass and Furuvald in the finals at the Ojai Valley Tournament, 6-3, 6-3, and in the finals at the Southern California Regional Individual Championships, 7-6 (3), 6-2, was cut short.

For the Pirates to become this season’s first junior college program to beat Grossmont (17-0) Tuesday, they had to sweep the three doubles matches. They went into the second round trailing the Griffins, 4-2.

Things started out well for OCC, each doubles team split the first two sets. All Grossmont had to do was win one of the doubles matches to qualify for Thursday’s state final at Long Beach City College, where it can add to its 10 state titles.

It seemed automatic for Grossmont with Reibstein and McClintock, the champs at the Ojai and the Southern California Regional individual tournaments.

Bass and Furuvald had other plans. They were on the verge of winning as they were ahead, 4-3, in the decisive set. But Grossmont freshman Danielle Bryan and sophomore Joanna Moya put an end to the title matchup by winning at No. 2 doubles, edging sophomore Evelyn Wallace and freshman Kalin Eshelman, 6-7, 6-1, 6-0.

Bass and Furuvald could only watch what unfolded next. The Griffins rejoiced on the court in which the Pirates owned this year. They really owned most courts, their closest match in Orange Empire Conference play was 8-1.

“It’s really disappointing,” Bass said. “But I think we played really well.”

The Pirates battled after falling short in No. 6 singles, a crucial loss heading into doubles. OCC freshman Jasmine Mathieson took the first set, 7-5, but she faltered in the next two against Nichole Tosches. The freshman Tosches won, 6-4, 6-3, giving Grossmont a huge edge.

“That’s tennis,” OCC Coach Janice Maran said. “There’s momentum that goes one direction. If you can break that momentum, it can go the other direction. [Mathieson] just didn’t get [the] momentum in the third set. She was down in that third set.”

The season isn’t over yet for two OCC players. Bass and Furuvald will compete at the state individual finals, which start Friday at Long Beach.

Bass and Furuvald qualified for doubles and singles. They want another shot at Grossmont’s Reibstein and McClintock, especially Bass. She said this might be her last season at OCC because she plans to move to Oregon with her family.

Bass also played Reibstein tougher in No. 1 singles before falling, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, Tuesday. Reibstein beat Bass, 6-0, 6-0, in the semifinals at Ojai.

“We’re going to beat them in state for sure,” Bass said.

Reibstein, who’s headed to Concordia University next year, said she’s up for another challenge.

“I’m very much looking forward to it,” said Reibstein after Bass forced her to play three sets, the first time any player has this season.

“[This was for the state title] because usually whoever wins Southern usually wins [the state title].”

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].