Men’s and women’s tennis competed at the Biola Tennis Center on Feb. 17 against the Point Loma Nazarene University Sea Lions. It marked the first home match of the season for the men’s team and the second for the women. The men never really got their footing as they lost all six singles matches before winning two of three doubles matches. The women did not fare any better as they fell in five of the six singles matches while being swept in all three doubles matches.
STRONG EFFORTS FALL SHORT
The men’s team entered the match trying to equal a strong Point Loma squad, but were overpowered early as two quick 6-0 and 6-1 singles wins for the Sea Lions set the tone for the rest of the match. The Sea Lions won two more matches 6-4 and 6-3 to almost guarantee victory very early in the event.
Two of the singles matches went to the third set, with sophomore Derek James falling 6-2 in the final set. Freshman Logan Blair battled to a close loss, eventually losing 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 in the tightest singles match of the day.
Biola men’s team performed much better in doubles competition than in singles, as the pair of James and senior Lucas Lee as well as senior Philip Westwood and freshman Quentin Lau scored wins for the team. Both matches ended 8-4, and the pair of Blair and senior Michael Vartuli fell by the same score. The match finished 7-2 as the Eagles fell to 1-4 (0-2 in the PacWest).
EAGLES FAIL TO GET STARTED
The women’s team struggled in a similar fashion, with singles players fighting to keep even with the Sea Lions’ players. Point Loma comfortably won the first three matches in straight sets before sophomore Lauren Lee won in straight sets to give the Eagles their first win. That would prove their only win, as freshman Esther Lee could not win another set after taking the first, eventually falling 4-6, 6-3, 10-1.
None of the Eagles’ three doubles teams could challenge the strength of Point Loma, as they lost all of their matches. The Eagles lost the overall competition 8-1, falling to 0-5 (0-3 in the PacWest).
Both teams continue their season on Feb. 19 in a Cornerstone Cup matchup against Azusa Pacific University.
