(Story courtesy of Trinity University Athletics Communications)
CLAREMONT, Calif. – In a highly anticipated matchup in the Second Round of the NCAA Playoffs, the 25th-ranked Trinity Men's Tennis team faced 18th-ranked Pomona-Pitzer for the third time this season, with the Tigers coming out on top with a 4-1 victory.
Doubles started off strong at three doubles with Jared Perry and Connor Kaczmarczyk winning 6-0. The duo of Kishan Kersten and Rocco Mendez fell short at one, losing 6-3. The doubles point came down to the reliable pair of Aashish Dhanani and Eric Liao, who weathered through a tough start to come back and clinch the doubles point 6-4.
In singles Kersten finished quickly, taking the point at four singles 6-3, 6-1. Next off was one singles where Perry fought hard but was ultimately defeated 6-3, 6-2. Liao was next to finish and after dropping the first set 6-3, he came back to win the next two sets 6-1, 6-3. This put Trinity up 3-1 in the overall match score. Ryan Warren delivered the winning point at three singles in three sets. He won the first set 6-4, lost the second 6-3, and came up victorious in the third at 6-3. After the match was clinched and stopped, Mendez was at 5-5 in the third set after winning the first set 6-3 but dropping the second by the same score at two singles. In the six singles match, Roshin Kamath opened with a 6-2 win in the first set, followed by a narrow 7-5 loss in the second set, and was trailing at 1-2 in the third set.
Trinity will face either hosting and top-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges or East Texas Baptist University in tomorrow's NCAA Third Round, with the winner advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals that will also be hosted by Claremont. Tomorrow's match is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. (PT) start.
