Biola Tennis Center has been unusually quiet these past few weeks due to rain, but luckily this week bucked the trend, allowing the men’s and women’s teams to play a total of three matches. The women lost 7-2 in their only match against Holy Names University, while the men took a heartbreaking 5-4 loss against Holy Names before winning 6-3 over Chapman University.
Heartbreaking loss
The women’s record dropped to 2-5, while the men improved to 2-4. Before the win over Chapman, the men were riding a four-match losing streak where three of the four matches ended 5-4. The women came in on a three-match losing streak, with the most recent loss coming in the form of a 9-0 shutout by Concordia University on Valentine’s Day.
They took to the courts on Feb. 20 to face Holy Names looking to get a victory over the stiff NCAA competition. The Hawks put a quick end to that by winning two of the three doubles matches then three of the first four singles matches to give them the needed five match wins. From there, they won an additional two more for insurance.
Freshman Tinisee Kandakai proved the most successful Eagles player, as she won with sophomore Katie Boesl in the No. 3 doubles match followed by a 7-5, 6-4 victory in Biola’s only singles win.
A close call
The men came almost as close as possible in their loss against the Hawks, as it came down to a third set in the deciding two matches. Biola had the advantage in doubles matches, as junior Lucas Lee and senior Luke Mountain won in the No. 1 match while juniors Philip Westwood and Milos Zoric wrapped up a No. 2 match win.
Lee and freshman Derek James were the only Eagles able to win in doubles, with James’ win moving him to 5-0 on the season for singles wins. The decisive match came on the No. 2 court, where Westwood lost a hard-fought three-match nailbiter to give Holy Names their fifth win.
The next day, the men returned to the courts against Chapman University and made quick work of the Panthers. They won two of the three doubles matches then the first three singles matches to clinch their first victory since Feb. 4.
James extended his singles win streak to six with a victory at the No. 3 spot, and Westwood, after the rough loss the day before, bounced back with a 6-1, 6-2 blowout win at No. 2.
Both teams face the Westmont College Warriors at the Biola Tennis Center on Feb. 25, with first serve scheduled at 11 a.m. for the women and 1 p.m. for the men.
