Abilene, Texas - The No. 14 nationally ranked Trinity University men's tennis team opened its season with a pair of challenging non-conference matches against NCAA Division II opponent Lubbock Christian University and NCAA Division I Abilene Christian University at the John T.L. Jones Tennis Building.

Trinity began the day against the Chaparrals, with doubles play setting the early tone. At #1, Kishan Kersten (Plano, Texas / West) and Jared Perry (Tucson, Ariz. / Catalina Foothills) were edged 6-4, while Ethan Flores (Houston, Texas / Clear Lake) and Roshin Kamath (League City, Texas / Clear Springs) also fell by a 6-4 margin at #3 to give LCU the doubles point. The Tigers' team of Aashish Dhanani (Austin, Texas / Westwood) and Conor Kaczmarczyk (Aurora, Colo. / Regis Jesuit) was locked in a tight contest at #2, trailing 5-4 when the match was halted once the point was decided.

Singles play opened with Dhanani dropping a 6-2, 6-2 decision at #2, followed by a 6-3, 6-2 loss for Kersten at the top position. Kaczmarczyk was defeated 7-5, 6-1 at #3, and Ivan Nikolovski (Alpine, N.J. / Dwight Global) suffered a 6-0, 6-0 loss at #4 as LCU clinched the match. Trinity got on the board at #5 as Kamath earned a 7-5, 6-3 victory, but the dual concluded with Elvin Selimovic (Audenge, Bordeaux, France / The International School of The Hague) falling 7-6, 6-1 at #6 to seal the 6-1 result.

Later in the afternoon, Trinity returned to the courts to take on the hosts, Abilene Christian University. Doubles play opened with Kersten and Perry falling 6-3 at #1, while Flores and Kamath dropped a 6-4 decision at #2. Trinity picked up a forfeit win at #3 with Dhanani and Kaczmarczyk, but ACU still claimed the doubles point to take an early 1-0 lead.

Singles play began with another forfeit win for the Tigers at #6, giving Nikolovski the victory and evening the match at 1-1. ACU responded as Kersten was edged 7-6 (3), 6-3 at #2, followed by a 6-3, 7-5 loss for Dhanani at #3. The match was clinched at the top position, where Perry battled through three sets before falling 6-0, 4-6, 6-3. Play at the remaining courts was left unfinished, with Kaczmarczyk trailing 4-0 at #4 and Kamath tied 2-2 at #5 when the dual was decided.

Up Next

The No. 14 Trinity men's tennis team will remain in Abilene, Texas, to face NJCAA Division I opponent Tyler Junior College in an exhibition match on Saturday, February 7th, at 1:00 p.m.