TOPEKA, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- McPherson College kept its hope alive for a third-straight trip to the NAIA Men's Tennis Championship with a 5-0 win over Southwestern College Friday afternoon in the semifinal round of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Men's Tennis Tournament at the Kossover Tennis Complex.
The 21st-ranked Bulldogs (10-3) grabbed the first point of the match with an 8-1 win by
Ahmed Lahlou (Casablanca, Morocco, Groupe Scolaire Anfa) and
Nicolas Wahl at No. 2 doubles over Franco Poi and Javier Contreras.
Timo Hoelzmann (Berlin, Germany, Schadow Gymnasium) and
Juan Alejandro Jimenez (Pereira, Colombia, Liceotaller San Miguel) followed with an 8-3 win at No. 3 over Braden Baker and Brian Vancuren.
Joan-Marc Fajula Rodriguez (Catalonia, Spain) and
Hector Carrillo Perales (Barcelona, Spain, Bom Salvador) - the third-ranked doubles team in the NAIA - completed the doubles sweep with a tough 8-6 win over Sheldon Hawthorne and Tomas Yacuzio at the top spot.
McPherson took the first set in all six singles matches. Carrillo topped Hawthorne, 6-0, 6-2, at No. 3 singles to get the Bulldogs within a point of clinching the match. Wahl ended the match a short time later with with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Baker at No. 5 singles.
The Bulldogs advance to Saturday's KCAC Men's Tennis Tournament final against No. 2-seed Bethany. Due to a forecast of inclement weather for Saturday, the championship match will be played indoors at Wood Valley Racquet Club at approximately 2 p.m. The tournament champion receives the KCAC's automatic berth into the NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship, slated for May 16-20 at the Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Alabama.
McPherson College Tennis
(4) Southwestern College vs (1) McPherson College (Apr 28, 2017)
#21 (1) McPherson College 5, (4) Southwestern College 0
Apr 28, 2017 at Topeka, Kan. (Kossover Tennis Complex)
| Doubles competition |
| 1. Joan-Marc Fajula/Hector Carrillo (MCPH) def. Sheldon Hawthorne/Tomas Yacuzio (SWC) 8-6 |
| 2. Ahmed Lahlou/Nicolas Wahl (MCPH) def. Franco Poi/Javier Contreras (SWC) 8-1 |
| 3. Timo Hoelzmann/J.Alejandro Jimenez (MCPH) def. Braden Baker/Brian Vancuren (SWC) 8-3 |
| Singles competition |
| 1. Joan-Marc Fajula (MCPH) vs. Franco Poi (SWC) 6-1, 3-2, unfinished |
| 2. Ahmed Lahlou (MCPH) vs. Tomas Yacuzio (SWC) 6-2, 2-0, unfinished |
| 3. Hector Carrillo (MCPH) def. Sheldon Hawthorne (SWC) 6-0, 6-2 |
| 4. J.Alejandro Jimenez (MCPH) vs. Javier Contreras (SWC) 6-3, 1-0, unfinished |
| 5. Nicolas Wahl (MCPH) def. Braden Baker (SWC) 6-2, 6-0 |
| 6. Timo Hoelzmann (MCPH) vs. Stephen Le (SWC) 6-2, 2-1, unfinished |
| Match Notes |
| (4) Southwestern College 12-12 |
| (1) McPherson College 10-3; National ranking #21 |
| Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (,3,5) |
| KCAC Semifinal #1 |
Generated on 4/28/2017
