CLAREMONT, Calif. – The 11th-ranked Trinity University Men's Tennis Team bounced back from a difficult first day at the Stag-Hen Invitational and secured an emphatic 7-0 sweep over the 24th-ranked North Carolina Wesleyan Battling Bishops to improve their overall record to 9-7.
The Tigers wasted no time in the doubles, striking first at the #1 position, where the dynamic duo of
Rocco Mendez (Las Vegas, Nevada / Odyssey Charter School) and
Kishan Kersten (Plano, Texas / Plano West) dominated their opponents, winning in commanding fashion 6-1. However, the Battling Bishops responded at the #3 spot, as the powerful partnership of
Conor Kaczmarczyk (Aurora, Colo. / Regis Jesuit) and
Ethan Flores (Houston, Texas / Clear Lake) were edged out, losing in a tight battle, 6-4. With the doubles point hanging in the balance, the pressure fell on the #2 team of
Aashish Dhanani (Austin, Texas / Westwood) and
Eric Liao (Taipei, Taiwan / Boca Prep), who delivered a clutch 6-4 win over their opponents, securing the early advantage for Trinity.
Carrying their momentum and a 1-0 lead into the singles, the Tigers overwhelmed their opponents with clinical performances across the board. First off the court was Mendez at #2, who delivered a composed 6-3, 6-3 win to extend the lead to 2-0. The skillful
Jared Perry (Tucson, Ariz. / Catalina Foothills) at #1 followed closely behind, sealing a solid 6-2, 6-4 victory and putting the Tigers on the brink of a win. The match-clinching victory came courtesy of the freshman
Ryan Warren (Keller, Texas / Connection Academy) at #3 who ground out a 7-5, 6-1 win, putting Trinity 4-0 up and ensuring the tigers end the Stag-Hen Invitational on a high note.
With the victory in hand, the Tigers pushed forward to complete the sweep. Kersten at #4 battled through a three-set thriller, ultimately prevailing 7-5, 5-7, 10-8, while Liao at #6 showed no mercy and delivered a confident 6-2, 6-3 triumph. The final match on court saw Dhanani at #5 edge out his opponent in another tense three-set battle, 7-5, 6-7 (3), 11-9, capping off a perfect day for the Tigers.
Up Next:
The Trinity University Mens Tennis Team returns home to face off against Pacific University (OR) on Wednesday, March 26th at 5:30 p.m.
