SACRAMENTO - The College of the Desert men's tennis team will be gunning for its fourth consecutive state championship on Thursday, May 10, on the American River College courts as the Roadrunners square off against the Fresno City College Rams starting at 10:30 a.m.

American River is hosting this year's Hyundai-California Community College Men's and Women's State Tennis Championships from May 10-12. Dual-team championships will be played on Thursday on the American River College campus while the individual singles and doubles tournament will be played Friday and Saturday at the Broadstone Racquet Club in Folsom.

COD (19-2) has won the past three state titles, four of the past five, and six of the past nine. Since 1990 only two other teams have captured the men's state title. Saddleback won in 1990, '91, and '95 while Foothill earned titles in 1994 and '97.

Although the Roadrunners will be favored to win their fourth consecutive title, Fresno City (14-1) is no stranger to state championship events. Rams coach Mark Belman won back-to-back state tennis titles with the Fresno City women's team in 1999 and 2000 and will be trying to add a men's title to his coaching honors this week. Fresno has never won the men's team title.

The Rams lone loss on the season was a 5-4 non-conference setback at Saddleback College. Desert defeated Saddleback, 5-1, last week in the regional finals.

The women's team title will be up for grabs starting at 1:00 p.m. on the American River College courts. Two-time defending champion Fresno City was ousted by Santa Rosa Junior College in the Northern California Regional Finals last week by a 5-0 count, meaning the Bear Cubs will be representing the north in the title match. Their opponent has not yet been determined as Grossmont and Santa Barbara colleges will play the Southern California Regional Final match on Tuesday, May 8.

Neither Santa Rosa nor Santa Barbara have ever won a women's tennis title, although Santa Barbara was the runner-up to Fresno City in last year's event. Grossmont has seven state championships to its credit, the most recent coming in 1996. The Griffins won all seven of their state titles in a nine-year span from 1988 to 1996, with only Orange Coast College interrupting the string with state titles in 1989 and 1994.

Community College Tennis, Dual-Team Championships @ American River College, Sacramento

MEN
College of the Desert (19-2) vs. Fresno City College (14-1), 10:30 a.m.

WOMEN
Grossmont or Santa Barbara City vs. Santa Rosa Junior College, 1 p.m.