RIVERSIDE, CA — In one of the most dramatic turnarounds of the postseason, No. 5 Glendale Community College mounted an incredible comeback to defeat No. 2 Riverside City College, 5–4, in the opening round of the regional playoffs on April 7 at RCC.
After being swept in doubles play, the Vaqueros found themselves in an early 0–3 hole on the road. Riverside controlled the momentum from the start, taking all three doubles matches convincingly (8–5, 8–4, 8–3) to put Glendale on the brink of elimination.
The deficit quickly grew to 0–4 as RCC captured the first singles point, leaving Glendale needing to win five straight matches to survive.
That's exactly what they did.
Glendale's comeback began at the middle of the lineup, where Patrick Pickering completed another comeback effort at No. 4 singles, bouncing back after dropping the first set to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Vartan Tolmoyan followed with a straight-sets win at No. 2 (7-5, 6-4),
With momentum fully shifted, David Tinajero ignited the rally with a gritty three-set victory at No. 1 singles, battling back for a 5-7, 7-5, 6-1 win. His resilience set the tone for what would become a match defined by toughness and belief.
Lance Morgan then delivered in a high-pressure tiebreak battle at No. 3, edging his opponent 7-6(4), 7-6(6) to bring Glendale within one.
All eyes turned to the final court.
At No. 6 singles, Sean Coffey delivered the clinching point in dramatic fashion. After falling in the opening set 4-6, Coffey responded with poise and determination, taking the next two sets 6-4, 6-4 to seal the improbable 5–4 victory for the Vaqueros.
Despite a loss at No. 5 singles (2-6, 2-6), Glendale's five singles victories proved to be the difference in one of the most remarkable postseason comebacks in program history.
From down 0–4 on the road against the tournament's No. 2 seed, the Vaqueros showcased heart, depth, and championship-level grit—flipping the script entirely to advance in the regional playoffs.
Glendale now moves forward with momentum and confidence, having proven they can overcome any deficit when it matters most.