New Top 25 Poll (Released Today)
#1 Fresno Pacific escaped an upset in Santa Barbara on Tuesday, edging out #7 Westmont with 5-4 win. After what was a long grueling week in Las Vegas the Sunbirds returned to conference play to find yet another tough match.
Earlier this season FPU defeated the Warriors 8-1, so the team wasn't expecting as tough of a match as they had last week against NCAA Division II's top competion. The Warriors brought their "A" game on their home court however.
The Sunbirds started with doubles play and fell behind quickly 2-1. Kirill Sinitsyn and Xavier Smith were quickly seen off 8-2 at number one doubles as were Cledson Carvalho and Jaime Sanchez-Canamares at number two. Fortunately Amarit Sanchez and Nathan Martinet were able to stop the Sunbirds from being swept as they won their match at number three 8-2.
Hoping for a sweep of the singles again today, as they did early in the season, Canamares quickly got the ball rolling at six with a 6-0, 6-0 win. Sinitsyn, playing number two today, won 6-2, 6-3 against Westmont's Bryan Cox.
However the next match to finish was an upset for the Sunbirds as Sanchez took a 6-3, 6-4 loss which leveled the score at three-all. Martinet came through in his match 6-1 7-5 to give the Sunbirds the advantage that was quickly snatched away by Carlos Lima as he defeated Cledson Carvalho 7-5, 7-5 at number one.
It was left to Xavier Smith playing number three to clinch the win and despite falling behind 3-6 he came back to seal the victory 6-0, 6-2 which sealed the 5-4 win for the Sunbirds.
The Sunbirds were not in their best form today but still came out with the win showing their fighting spirit. They will return to the court on Saturday at home, taking on #6 Point Loma Nazarene.
|
#1 Fresno Pacific 5, #7 Westmont 4
|
|
1. LIMA, Carlos (WC) def. CARVALHO, Cledson (FPU) 7-5, 7-5
|
|
2. SINITSYN, Kirill (FPU) def. COX, Bryan (WC) 6-2, 6-3
|
|
3. SMITH, Xavier (FPU) def. GORANSON, Tim (WC) 3-6, 6-0, 6-3
|
|
4. MARTINET, Nathan (FPU) def. HAYASHI, Tiago (WC) 6-1, 7-5
|
|
5. ZIELEN, Lukas (WC) def. SANCHEZ, Amarit (FPU) 6-3, 6-4
|
|
6. SANCHEZ-CANAMARES, J (FPU) def. GROTELUESCHEN, Seth (WC) 6-0, 6-0
|
|
1. LIMA, Carlos/COX, Bryan (WC) def. SINITSYN, Kirill/SMITH, Xavier (FPU) 8-2
|
|
2. ZIELEN, Lukas/GORANSON, Tim (WC) def. CARVALHO, Cledson/SANCHEZ-CANAMARES, J (FPU) 8-2
|
|
3. MARTINET, Nathan/SANCHEZ, Amarit (FPU) def. HAYASHI, Tiago/STORMANS, Kent (WC) 8-3
|
|
Match Notes: Fresno Pacific 13-2, 6-0 GSAC; Westmont 5-5, 4-4 GSAC
|
