AZUSA, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific men's tennis opened its 2016 campaign with a double-header on Saturday, starting with a 9-0 win over Hope International before travelling to Pomona Pitzer and defeating the No. 4 team in NCAA Division III, 8-1.
AZUSA PACIFIC 9, HOPE INTERNATIONAL 0
Match Results
The Cougars didn't drop a set with 10 different players earning points in the victory. It was the first time since 2010 that 10 different Cougars won a point in an entire season, let alone a single match.
Junior Alan Leahy claimed his first career victory at No. 1 singles with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Mauricio Mosquero, who is the No. 48 singles player in the NAIA. Leahy broke Mosquero's serve in the fifth game of the second set and cruised after that winning each of the last five games of the match.
There were a number of other milestones for Azusa Pacific, including junior Shepherd Newcomb's first singles victory in a team match as a Cougar, winning 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3 singles.
Freshmen Olger van Gent and Roberto Luconi each earned victories in their collegiate debut's as well. Van Gent earned the point at No. 2 singles with a 6-3, 6-3 win, while Luconi didn't drop a game en route to a 6-0, 6-0 victory at No. 4 singles.
At No. 5 singles, sophomore Cameron Backman was the first to finish as he improved his winning streak in dual matches to five dating back to the 2015 season, winning 6-0, 6-0. In a match that was officially scored as a forfeit, Stefan Kingsley defeated Sergio Romero 4-6, 6-2, 10-7.
In doubles, senior Jan Meyer partnered with the seventh different player in his career at Azusa Pacific, teaming with junior Christian Schmid for an 8-2 win at No. 1 doubles. At No. 2 doubles, Marnix Pluim joined the list of Cougars earning their first collegiate wins, pairing withPascal Engel for an 8-1 triumph.
AZUSA PACIFIC 8, Pomona Pitzer 1
Match Results
Azusa Pacific nearly made it a perfect day, surrendering just one point to Pomona Pitzer, which also claimed a 9-0 triumph earlier in the day.
The Cougars picked up where they left off, using the momentum to get a sweep in doubles. Meyer and Schmid won 8-6 at the No. 1 position, followed by an 8-4 decision at No. 2 doubles by Engel and Pluim 8-4. Van Gent and Newcomb had the most convincing doubles set, winning 8-0 in their official debut as partners.
Meyer, Schmid, and Engel were all entered back into the singles lineup after sitting out the first part of the double header. Meanwhile after winning his first career match at No. 1 singles, Leahy didn't show any signs of fatigue, cruising at No. 4 singles, 6-4, 6-0.
Meyer and Schmid each advanced against nationally ranked opponents in straight sets with Meyer defeating the No. 22 player in NCAA Division III 6-3, 6-4, while Schmid defeated the No. 47 player 6-1, 6-3 in his first singles match as a Cougar.
Pluim also made his singles debut as a Cougar against the Sagehens, playing in the No. 6 slot, where he earned a 6-4, 6-2 victory. At No. 3 singles, Engel had to come from behind for a narrow 4-6, 6-4, 11-9 triumph.
Van Gent was the only Cougar to play both singles and doubles in both matches on the day and the freshman ran out of gas in the tank in his collegiate debut, eventually succumbing 6-3, 4-6, 8-10 at No. 5 singles.
Azusa Pacific will be back in action on Friday with a match at Concordia, which is a new member to the Pacific West Conference. The Cougars return to Azusa the following day to start 18-match homestand with UC San Diego.
