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The all freshman women’s badminton team has won its fourth consecutive South Coast Conference title finishing the season with a record of 13-1, with one team member wining the state championship.
The Lancers received their only loss to San Diego City College (SDCC) in the Southern California Championships Semi Finals, where the team was beaten 16-5.
Although the team lost its chance at a state team title with the loss to SDCC, a few of the players would continue on to the Southern California Individual Championships.
Player, Angie Ortiz, made PCC history on Saturday by winning the state singles championship at SDCC bringing the first state title to PCC in 13 years.
Cynthia Gutierrez would battle her way through the tournament to place in the top eight.
The team this year consisted of all first year collegiate players and the number one seat Ortiz had an undefeated record of 44-0 until the team faced SDCC in the SoCal Championships.
In the five years that Coach Bill Sanchez has been in charge of the team his career record at the end of this season is 53-10. The team has won 36 straight South Coast Conference Games starting back from the 2010 season.
“Two years ago no one covered us and our team had to hustle two days before the season just to make sure we had uniforms,” said Sanchez.
The coach believes the credit for making this a successful program goes to the players of the 2010 season not him. Players like Assistant Coach Jessica Nguyen-Le and her teammates put this program on the map for PCC by playing their hearts out, he said.
“Now, we have great support not just from PCC but all of Pasadena,” said Sanchez.
“I’m proud every day of this team because they play hard,” said the Coach. This year’s team has grown so close; no one knew each other at the beginning of the season and now they have turned this season into one of the most fun seasons I’ve coached.”
The Lancers have yet to win a state championship but the coach is optimistic, “I have the confidence that [the players] have the experience to compete,” said Sanchez.
Angie Ortiz of Pasadena City College used very aggressive defense to wear down her opponent, the number one seed from City College San Francisco, Evonne Zheng, in their match that proved to be very grueling for both sides. In the end it was Angie Ortiz that had the stamina to hold off Evonne Zheng and most everything she hit to her to win the California State Championship. The event was held Saturday, May 12, 2012, in the Harry West Gym on the San Diego City College campus (Ronald Johnson/Courier )
Angie Ortiz of PCC battles Evonne Zheng of CCSF for control of the net, in their CCCAA singles championship match on Saturday, May 12, 2012, at the Harry West Gym on the SDCC campus, in San Diego, Calif. Angie Ortiz was victorious ove r the number one seeded Evonne Zheng for the California Singles State Championship, a first for the Pasadena City College Womens Badminton team. (Ronald Johnson/Courier)
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