CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Whittier College men's tennis team couldn't take advantage of late doubles leads at the No. 1and No. 2 spot which led to a disappointing 7-2 loss to No. 30 Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday morning in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener.

Justin DeLong and Sean Robertson broke serve and held a 7-6 lead at No. 1 doubles but failed to convert on a match point in the very next game. The Sagehens took advantage and won the next three games to earn the 9-7 win.

The No. 2 doubles team of Julian Seneviratne and Patricio Carregha also squandered a late lead. The pair was up a break, 5-4, but gave up four of the next five games to Pomona. The loss was the first for the duo on the year.

"A match like this is often decided by a few points and they [Pomona-Pitzer] played the big points much better than we did today," said head coach David Bojalad.

The Sagehens needed only two wins in singles to take the match and they clinched the win by taking two of the firs three singles matches.

Nationally ranked Tommy Meyer rolled at No. 1 singles past Carregha and a 6-2, 6-2 win at the third spot over Sean Robertson won the match for Pomona.

The Poets (2-3, 0-1 SCIAC) were most effective in the lower half of singles play. Frank Sun remained undefeated on the year with a 6-4, 6-1 win. Sun went down 3-0, then 4-1, but rallied to win 11 of the next 12 games to take the match.

DeLong played arguably his best of the season at the No. 4 with a 6-2, 3-6, (10-5) win.

Smith had an opportunity to earn a win at No. 5 singles but let a 6-3, 3-0 lead slip away.  He lost 3-6, 6-4, (10-6).

The Poets open a three match home stand on Thursday, February 18, as they play Hope International. Friday the purple and gold will get a visit from nationally ranked Claremont-M-S and on Saturday Whittier will host Occidental.