Men's Tennis | 3/28/2013 8:48:00 AM
Irvine, Calif. – The No. 19 ranked McPherson College Bulldogs met their second top 10 opponent in so many days and this time against No. 9 Concordia University – Irvine. The match was closely contested by both teams and the Bulldogs definitely had their chances to win, but dropped a tough match 7-2 to the Eagles.
In doubles, the top duo of Slav Bukatin (Moscow, Russia) and Sean Dullaghan (Los Angeles, Calif.) got out of the gate quickly amassing a 4-1 advantage over their opponents; the Eagles, however, played tough and tightened their game to claim the victory at number one doubles 8-4. At number two doubles the duo of Mark Mahan (Fullerton, Calif.) and Torsten Keil-Long (Claremont, Calif.) had a 3-1 lead early but a few volley miscues cost them the lead and eventually the match dropping their point 8-3. Down 0-2 the number three duo of Sean De Young (Anaheim, Calif.) and Rafael Bulnes (Rosmalen, Netherlands) traded breaks with their counter parts but got the one they needed with Bulnes serving out the match to get McPherson on the board with an 8-6 win.
Mac entered singles play down 1-2.
In singles, the matches again were hotly contested as the Bulldogs fought furiously to get the match to go their way. At second singles, Senior Bukatin had a tough match dropping the first set 6-0 quickly but rebounded to take the lead in the second set; up 4-3 in the second, he was unable to hold his next service game and was then broken again to lose the match 6-0, 6-4. At fourth singles, Senior Keil-Long lost a hard fought first set tie-breaker and that seemly zapped his momentum and he lost his match 7-6, 6-2. The Eagles claimed the match with a win over the Bulldog’s number three player Mark Mahan. Mahan was up 3-0 early in the first set but dropped that set 6-4. He blitzed his opponents in the second set 6-2, but was unable to carry the momentum over to the third set and lost his match by a score of 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
With the match in hand the remaining matches were reduced to match tie-breakers for the third set. Top player Rafael Bulnes had the toughest match of the day dropping his match 6-4, 6-7, 10-7. The lone highlight in singles for the Bulldogs was the play of Dullaghan who captured his match in gutsy fashion 6-4, 1-6, 11-9.
The Bulldogs finish their trip in California with a double-header tomorrow, March 28th against RV Hope International University and Biola University. First serve is set for 9:00 a.m. (PT) against Hope International University at La Habra Tennis Center. The Bulldogs will then travel up the 5 freeway to take on Biola University at 2:00 p.m.
Final Score:
Concordia University – Irvine 7, McPherson College 2
Doubles:
1) Kliskinic/Wickenhauser (CUI) def. Bukatin/Dullaghan (Mac) 8-4
2) Groom/Szermeta (CUI) def. Mahan/Keil-Long (Mac) 8-3
3) Bulnes/De Young (Mac) def. Reddman/Casad (CUI) 8-6
Singles:
1) Bruno Kliskinic (CUI) def. Rafael Bulnes (Mac) 6-4, 6-7, 10-7
2) Christian Wickenhauser (CUI) def. Slav Bukatin (Mac) 6-0, 6-4
3) Marc Reddmann (CUI) def. Mark Mahan (Mac) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
4) Micah Groom (CUI) def. Torsten Keil-Long (Mac) 7-6, 6-2
5) Sean Dullaghan (Mac) def. Patrick Szevemeta (CUI) 6-4, 1-6, 11-9
6) Farren Casad (CUI) def. Sean De Young (Mac) 6-0, 6-1
