Fresno Pacific improved to 15-2 and improved to 8-0 in GSAC play, downing #6 Point Loma Nazarene 8-1 in Fresno on Wednesday.
Singles showed the Sunbirds dominance as they clinched the match after only six matches. Wins were taken at numbers one through five. Kirill Sinitsyn beat PLNU's number one Joel Myers 6-1, 6-2 and Nathan Martinet maintained his impressive record this season with a win at number four by the same score.
Xavier Smith played number two today and had another impressive match to add to his recent good form as he beat Tyler Bowman 6-3, 6-2. Cledson Carvalho came through a tight first set 6-4 but regained some confidence and rolled over his opponent 6-0 in the second set.
Travis Johnson had a tough match at number six in which he lost, and that gave the Sea Lions their only win of the day. With a 4-1 lead the Sunbirds just needed Amarit Sanchez to win playing in the number five position to clinch the win. After a slow start in which he lost the first set, he managed to turn things around and battle through to eventually win the match 4-6 6-2 7-5.
With the match already being decided wins in the doubles were not a necessity, but the Sunbirds were ruthless as they swept the doubles. Number one and two doubles both got wins 8-6. Johnson and Carvalho played at three and steam rolled their opponents 8-2.
Coach Neil Castro said “Point Loma has had some good results lately, but beating them so convincingly today is hopefully a sign that the guys are starting to peak at about the right time.”
The Sunbirds remain unbeaten in GSAC play and will return to it again on Monday against Biola at home.
#1 Fresno Pacific 8, #6 Point Loma Nazarene 1
Singles competition
1. SINITSYN, Kirill (FPU) def. MYERS, Joel (PLNU) 6-1, 6-2
2. SMITH, Xavier (FPU) def. BOWMAN, Tyler (PLNU) 6-3, 6-2
3. CARVALHO, Cledson (FPU) def. ENSLEY, KC (PLNU) 6-4, 6-0
4. MARTINET, Nathan (FPU) def. TAVERA, Diego (PLNU) 6-1, 6-2
5. SANCHEZ, Amarit (FPU) def. JAEHNIG, DJ (PLNU) 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
6. ZABIAN, Michael (PLNU) def. JOHNSON, Travis (FPU) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. SINITSYN, Kirill/SMITH, Xavier (FPU) def. MYERS, Joel/ENSLEY, KC (PLNU) 8-6
2. SANCHEZ, Amarit/MARTINET, Nathan (FPU) def. BOWMAN, Tyler/TAVERA, Diego (PLNU) 8-6
3. CARVALHO, Cledson/JOHNSON, Travis (FPU) def. TAVERA, Angel/JAEHNIG, DJ (PLNU) 8-2
Match Notes:
Point Loma Nazarene 10-3, 5-2 GSAC; National ranking #6
Fresno Pacific 15-2, 8-0 GSAC; National ranking #1
