Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – Despite losing 8-1 to No. 19 University of Redlands, the match proved a lot closer as the No. 22 Whittier College men's tennis team saw chances slip away including two three set singles matches.
With the loss the Poets drop to .500 at 9-9, 3-3 SCIAC with a big SCIAC regular season finale against Pomona-Pitzer this Friday, April 18 at 2:00pm on the road.
Redlands jumped out to a clean sweep taking all three doubles 8-5, 8-5, 8-6 and needed only two singles wins to clinch the victory, which they earned at No. 3 and No. 4.
Whittier did put up a fight however in singles getting a quick win from No. 11 David Konstantinov at No. 1 winning 6-3, 6-3 over Patrick Lipscomb. Chris Schommer took the first set at No. 2 in a breaker 7-6 (3) against Parker Wilson but after a lopsided 6-1 loss in set two he faced yet another breaker in the third, which he dropped 7-6 (5).
Shogo Shimizu returned to the starting lineup after being hampered with an injury at No. 5 but couldn't come back from a set down and a break falling to Ted Burchett 7-6 (2), 6-4. The other three setter for the Purple & Gold went to No. 6 freshman Mark Anthony Kenney who prevailed 7-6 (5) in the first set before dropping 6-1, 10-4 landing the Bulldogs their eighth point on the afternoon.
Freshman Troy Chavez moved up a spot to No. 4 against Gram Leahy but was broken once in each set to fall 6-3, 6-3. Junior Samuel Farmer played yet another close match against Tom Suchodolski at No. 3 he to like Chavez was broken each set falling in straights 7-5, 6-3.
