Roadrunner Women’s Tennis Qualifies Four for State Championships at Ojai

The College of the Desert women's tennis team continues its upward swing, qualifying four athletes for the prestigious 3C2A State Championships in Ojai after a strong showing at the South Coast Conference (SCC) Championships.

Freshman Trinity Miller (Palm Desert Xavier College Prep) led the charge in singles and also qualified in doubles alongside fellow freshman Zoe Lopez (Palm Desert H.S.). Also advancing in doubles were freshman Elyse Woodforde (Palm Desert H.S.) and freshman Mia Castillo (Indio H.S.), rounding out a quartet of Roadrunners heading to the state stage.

Singles Bracket: Miller Shines, Earns First Team Honors

In singles play, Trinity Miller, the tournament's #3 seed, began her run with a first-round bye and followed it with a dominant performance over El Camino's Jhanine Estigoy, winning 6-1, 6-0. The win secured Miller a spot on the First Team All-South Coast Conference.

Woodforde, the #5 seed, also had a bye but was upset in the second round by Mt. SAC's Mia Vo in a tough 6-4, 6-1 loss. Despite the early exit, her strong season earned her Second Team All-Conference honors.

Lopez impressed in the Play-In round with an 8-1 win over El Camino's Daelyn Calimlim before falling to Mt. SAC's Kasandra Uy, 6-2, 6-0. Castillo and Ramirez, both freshmen, put up strong efforts in their opening matches but were eliminated in early rounds.

Miller's run ended in the Round of 8, where she was defeated by the red-hot Uy in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.

Doubles Drama: Two Teams Make the Cut

In doubles action, the #2-seeded team of Miller and Lopez cruised through their opener, defeating El Camino's Canela and Estigoy with identical 6-1 sets. However, their journey was cut short in the semifinals due to a walkover loss to the Mt. SAC pair of Uy and Ortiz.

Woodforde and Castillo turned heads in their opening match, outlasting Rio Hondo's Diaz and Dominguez in a thrilling tiebreak, 8-8 (8-6). Their impressive performance earned them Second Team All-South Coast Conference honors. In the quarterfinals, they were overpowered by the #4 seed duo from Rio Hondo, falling 6-1, 6-3.

Despite some tough draws and unexpected exits, the Roadrunners showed their strength across both singles and doubles brackets, with four players advancing to compete against the best in California at the 3C2A State Championships in Ojai.

Head Coach Bruno Jaeger praised the team's growth: "This team has grit. Trinity and Zoe showed incredible chemistry in doubles, and Elyse and Mia proved they can rise to the moment. We're proud to have four players representing COD in Ojai."

The Roadrunners will now set their sights on Ojai, where tradition meets talent and the best in the state compete for glory.

Singles:

Play-In Round of 16:
#3 Trinity Miller (COD) BYE
#5 Elyse Woodforde (COD) BYE
#11 Zoe Lopez (COD) def. #22 Daelyn Calimlim (ECC) 8-1
#18 Karen Canela (ECC) def. #15 Mia Castillo (COD) 8-4
#16 Jennifer Diaz (RHC) def. #17 Oriana Ramirez (COD) 8-1
#9 Tabitha Ortiz (MSAC) def. #24 Liliana Ruiz (COD) 8-0

Round of 16:
#3 Trinity Miller (COD) def. #14 Jhanine Estigoy (ECC) 6-1, 6-0
#12 Mia Vo (MSAC) def. #5 Elyse Woodforde (COD) 6-4, 6-1
#6 Kasandra Uy (MSAC) def. #11 Zoe Lopez (COD) 6-2, 6-0

Round of 8:
#6 Kasandra Uy (MSAC) def. #3 Trinity Miller (COD) 6-1, 6-1

Doubles:

Play-In Round of 8:
#2 Trinity Miller / Zoe Lopez (COD) BYE
#5 Elyse Woodforde / Mia Castillo (COD) def. #12 Jennifer Diaz / Kaitlyn Dominguez (RHC) 8-8 (8-6)
#7 Karen Canela / Jhanine Estigoy (ECC) def. #10 Oriana Ramirez / Liliana Ruiz (COD) 8-2

Round of 8:
#2 Trinity Miller / Zoe Lopez (COD) def. #7 Karen Canela / Jhanine Estigoy (ECC) 6-1, 6-1
#4 Lana Young / Abigail Madrigal (RHC) def. #5 Elyse Woodforde / Mia Castillo (COD) 6-1, 6-3

Semifinals:
#3 Kasandra Uy / Tabitha Ortiz (MSAC) def. #2 Trinity Miller / Zoe Lopez (COD) Walk Over

Follow COD Athletics on Twitter @COD_Athletics Instagram @COD_Athletics or Facebook @College of the Desert Athletics

For additional information, please contact the COD Sports Information Office at 760.423.6641.

Information, Photo & Story provided by COD Sports Information.