Glendale News Press
Published March 15, 2005
Glendale foiled at home
Tennis: Boys’ squad, which wins just three doubles sets and shows
inexperience, concludes nonleague portion of schedule with 11-7 loss to
Burbank.
By Charles Rich, News-Press and Leader
SOUTHEAST GLENDALE — Once the members of the Glendale and Burbank high
boys’ tennis teams emerged from the fenced-in courts, the respective coaches
assessed the chief difference between the teams.
It took about two seconds for Burbank Coach Paul McNiff and Glendale Coach
Bob Davidson to reach the same conclusion: Burbank showed more aggression by
attacking the net during the close sets.
That proved to be the biggest factor in Burbank posting an 11-7 nonleague
road victory against Glendale on Monday.
Burbank (5-2) won five of its sets by two games or less, leaving Glendale
(4-3) in a bind.
“[Burbank] attacked the net, and that helped them win a lot of close ones,”
Davidson said. “They were also stronger than us in doubles. Our inexperience
in doubles showed, and we should have done better in singles.”
The Bulldogs — who are ranked No. 9 in CIF Southern Section Division II —
won six of the nine doubles sets. It wasn’t entirely easy for Burbank, which
needed a pair of 7-5 wins from Sarkis Khachatryan and Osheen Abramian
against Glendale’s Hovik Ovakimyan and Aram Ambartsumyan and Arbi Vartan and
Hakob Grigoryen.
Burbank clinched the win when Khachatryan and Abramian beat Ovakimyan and
Ambartsumyan.
“We figured to win in doubles,” said McNiff, whose team won its fifth
consecutive match after opening the season with losses to Loyola and
Oakwood. “We were more aggressive at the net and put the volleys away.”
The Nitros got two wins from singles player Hovik Mazmanyan and the doubles
tandem of Ovakimyan and Ambartsumyan.
Mark Lewin, Burbank’s No. 2 singles player, won two sets. One of those came
in a 7-6 (7-5) battle with Edgar Khovakimyan.
“Glendale’s got a good team, and they are younger than us,” McNiff said.
“I’ve been able to finalize my lineup, and that’s helped.”
Glendale and Burbank begin league competition this week.
The Nitros open Pacific League with a road contest against Crescenta Valley
today. The Nitros took third in league last year behind Arcadia and
Crescenta Valley.
Burbank, which finished second in the Foothill League behind Valencia in
2004, will meet visiting Canyon on Thursday.
* CHARLES RICH covers sports. He can be reached at (818) 637-3228 or by
e-mail at charles.rich@latimes.com.