AZUSA, Calif. -- While wearing the Azusa Pacific men's soccer team's uniforms, the Azusa Pacific men's tennis team scored a 8-1 win over Hawai`i Hilo on Friday afternoon.
Match Results
This year, the men's tennis team is looking to do what the men's soccer team did in the fall, which is advance to the playoffs in the first year of NCAA playoff-eligibility. The Cougars took another step in that direction with the 8-1 win over the Vulcans, which are ranked No. 8 in the West Region.
Azusa Pacific, which is ranked No. 2 in the region, has now defeated five of the other teams in the top eight, including Point Loma twice.
The Cougars won all six singles matches doing so for the fourth time this year and second time on the week. All six victories were in straight sets with Jan Meyer taking the first one 6-1, 6-0 at No. 1 singles.
At No. 4 singles, sophomore Alan Leahy got off to slow starts in each set, but finished strong both times for a 6-3, 6-2 win. Leahy now has a five-match winning streak, winning 13 of his last 15 matches. Pascal Engel needed just a little bit longer to earn a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 3 singles.
Senior Ben Eger raced out to a commanding lead in his singles match on court 2, where he won the first seven games. However, Kalien Muzuguchi turned the match around and even served for the second set, but Eger broke back and eventually got to a tiebreak, where he completed the 6-0, 7-6(4) win.
Freshman Cameron Backman got his fifth consecutive victory, winning 6-1, 6-1 at No. 6 singles, and Tomas Aranguiz completed the singles sweep with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph.
In doubles, Meyer and Gary Yam stayed on a roll with an 8-4 win over the No. 9 team in the region, while Eger and Engel improved their team-best record to 13-6 this season, defeating the Vulcans 8-1. At No. 3 doubles, Daniel Trada and Brandon Kang earned the Vulcans only point, winning 8-5.
On Wednesday, the Cougars will host Lewis-Clark State, before a crucial rematch on Saturday with UC San Diego, which the Cougars defeated 5-4 in February. The Tritons are now ranked No. 3 in the West Region, and the top two teams in the region will advance to the national tournament.
