Carrillo, Rivera finish second in doubles with avenging victory
over top Acorn duo
GILROY – Gilroy’s top doubles unit of senior Tomas Carrillo and junior Ray Rivera had a similar bone to pick with Live Oak heading into the T-CAL Tennis Championships. Like senior teammate Robbie Marques, the Mustang duo had dropped their regular-season finale against Acorns’ Nick Cotta and Chris Luskodi and wanted revenge.
As the No. 1 seed in T-CALs, Carrillo and Rivera received a first-round bye and then cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 second-round victory over Palma’s top tandem – setting up a semifinal showdown against the same Live Oak pair that beat them two days prior.
“They were confident so we knew we had to step it up,” Carrillo said. “We got a better feel for their games.”
Just like Marques would do one day later, Carrillo and Rivera avenged one of only three league losses by toppling Cotta and Luskodi in three sets, 6-4, 6-7, 6-4.
“It was fun. Nerve-racking but fun,” said Rivera of his first T-CAL Finals. “We were upset we lost in the finals, but we were proud that we accomplished what we did… It was pretty good playing with (Carrillo). We’ve got good chemistry on the court.”
The Mustang tandem settled for second place since they were defeated in the finals, 0-6, 1-6, by Salinas’ make-shift doubles unit of singles players Brian Pivas and Martin Gutenich.
“All of these guys played their best tennis in the T-CAL Finals,” said Yoder, who was proud to take home a pair of second-place finishers this year.
Carrillo – who lost in the first round last season with former partner Mike Faria – and Rivera – who wants to play singles as a senior next year – beat every team in T-CAL at least once, finishing with only three league losses.
“Especially this being my senior year, I wanted to do well,” Carrillo said. “It felt good.”
