It wasn't the way long-time Rio Hondo College head coach Karen Unger wanted to start the season. Because of eligibility issues, the Roadrunners opened the season on the road at College of the Canyons on Thursday with just four players and suffered an 8-1 loss to the Cougars.

Despite having to forfeit matches at No. 5 and 6 singles as well as No. 3 doubles, the Roadrunners played well in their opening match.

Freshman Gabriella Tellez earned Rio Hondo's lone victory with a quality 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles over Canyons sophomore Una Stanisavljevic. As a freshman last season, Stanisavljevic was the Western State Conference's No. 2 seeded individual.

Rio Hondo freshman Daisy Haro played excellent in a couple of close matches but came up on the losing end in tie breakers. At No. 2 singles, she suffered a 4-6, 7-6 (10-8), 10-4 loss to Nicole Villarta. At No. 1 doubles, Haro teamed with Tellez and lost a hard-fought 8-7 (13-11) loss to the COC team of Jennifer Russell and Lauren Hannah.

Unger was proud of Haro's efforts in her first match as a Roadrunner.

"Daisy Haro was involved in two very close matches that she ended up losing in tiebreakers," said Unger. "But because she was close, hopefully next time she can pull out a win."

Complete results from the match are below.

Rio Hondo (0-1) returns to action on Friday (Jan. 31) when it hosts Porterville College in a 1 p.m. non-conference match.

Canyons 8, Rio Hondo 1
SINGLES
#1: Gabriella Tellez (RIO) def. Una Stanisavljevic (COC) 6-4, 6-1
#2: Nicole Villarta (COC) def. Monique Rojas (RIO) 6-0, 6-4
#3: Taylor Cohen (COC) def. Daisy Haro (RIO) 4-6, 7-6 (10-8), 10-4
#4: Mary McAdam (COC) def. Yadira Naranjo (RIO) 6-1, 6-0
#5: Jennifer Russell (COC) wins by forfeit
#6: Jaclyn Wosk (COC) wins by forfeit

DOUBLES
#1: J. Russell/Lauren Hannah (COC) def. G. Tellez/D. Haro (RIO) 8-7 (13-11)
#2: Celeste Hernandez/J. Wosk (COC) def. M. Rojas/Y. Naranjo (RIO) 8-5
#3: COC wins by forfeit