Men’s and women’s tennis began their 2020 season off with a bang as they each had total control over Whittier College on Saturday morning. The women’s team swept the Poets in all three doubles matches and all six singles, earning them the monstrous 9-0 victory. The men’s team followed closely behind the women, only losing one of their six total singles matches, granting them the 8-1 win.

FIERY FINISH

It was a collective effort for the women. Each athlete took the reins and competed at the highest level to ensure that they got the victory.

The first doubles team of senior Lauren Lee and sophomore Ines Diaz defeated the Poets 8-1. Freshman Colbeyshae Emery and freshman Brooke Fager followed closely behind and held their doubles opponents to only two points, winning 8-2. Senior Allison Torres and sophomore Anna Hartmann had a tougher battle, but ultimately secured the win, 8-4.

Emery, Diaz, Fager, Lee, Torres and junior Madison Swaney all locked in personal wins in their singles matches, giving them the clean sweep, 9-0 overall.

The men brought the same intensity as the women. Junior Quentin Lau and senior Edwyn Ramos led the way for the Eagles, bringing the first doubles victory, 8-3. Both doubles pairs, sophomore Alexei Prokopchuk, senior Derek James, sophomore Andres Meneses and junior Logan Blair won their matches 8-6.

The singles matches were more of the same, with Prokopchuk, Blair, Ramos, Meneses and Lau all collecting individual wins. James fell just short of winning his match, when he was defeated by the Poets’ Matt Yanuck, 6-7, 4-6.

The Eagles (1-0) will take on Westmont College at the Biola Tennis Center on Tuesday, Feb. 4, the women at 2 p.m. and the men at 4 p.m.