Mobile Bound! Men's Tennis Tops Bethany 5-1 for KCAC Tournament Title

TOPEKA, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- The No. 21 McPherson College men's tennis team won its third straight Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Tournament title with a 5-1 victory over (RV) Bethany College Saturday afternoon at the Wood Valley Racquet Club.
 
McPherson (11-3) grabbed a 2-1 lead after doubles. Bethany (13-8) grabbed the first point with an 8-2 win by Aaron Moses and Teodor Antelj over Timo Hoelzmann (Berlin, Germany, Schadow Gymnasium) and Juan Alejandro Jimenez (Pereira, Colombia, Liceotaller San Miguel) at the No. 3 spot. The Bulldogs evened the score with an 8-2 victory by Ahmed Lahlou (Casablanca, Morocco, Groupe Scolaire Anfa) and Nicolas Wahl at No. 2 over Edward Sengai and Conrad Mascarenhas.
 
McPherson picked up the deciding point with an 8-4 win at the top spot by Joan-Marc Fajula Rodriguez (Catalonia, Spain) and Hector Carrillo Perales (Barcelona, Spain, Bom Salvador) over Juan Mateus and Alvaro Rengifo.
 
Lahlou extended the lead to 3-1 with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Antelj at the No. 2 spot. Carrillo moved the Bulldogs to within a point of the title with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Moses at No. 3. Fajula provided the clinching point at the No. 1 spot. He dropped the first set in a tiebreaker, then bounced back to win the next two sets 6-3, 6-1. Jimenez and Wahl were each up a set at Nos. 4 and 5 when the match was called.
 
"I couldn't be more proud of both teams," said head coach Dustin Wheeler. "They work extremely hard on and off the court and they do it as a team! I grew up in a small family and a small town. Being able to coach these great kids from all over the world is a blessing and I'll always be thankful for this opportunity. LET'S GO BULLDOGS!"
 
With the victory, McPherson earns the KCAC's automatic berth in the NAIA Men's Tennis Championship May 16-20 at Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Alabama. It is the Bulldogs' third straight trip to the national event. The full list of qualifiers for the national meet will be released Monday, May 8, with the seeds and bracket to follow on Tuesday, May 9.
 

McPherson College Tennis
(1) McPherson College vs (2) Bethany College (Apr 29, 2017)

#21 (1) McPherson College 5, (2) Bethany College 1
Apr 29, 2017 at Topeka, Kan. (Genesis-Wood Valley RC) 

Doubles competition

1. #3 Joan-Marc Fajula/Hector Carrillo (MCPH) def. Juan Mateus/Alvaro Rengifo (BTHY) 8-4

2. Ahmed Lahlou/Nicolas Wahl (MCPH) def. Edward Sengai/Conrad Mascarenhas (BTHY) 8-2

3. Aaron Moses/Teodor Antelj (BTHY) def. Timo Hoelzmann/J.Alejandro Jimenez (MCPH) 8-2

 

Singles competition

1. #27 Joan-Marc Fajula (MCPH) def. #28 Juan Mateus (BTHY) 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-1

2. #29 Ahmed Lahlou (MCPH) def. Teodor Antelj (BTHY) 6-1, 6-1

3. #46 Hector Carrillo (MCPH) def. Aaron Moses (BTHY) 6-4, 6-3

4. Edward Sengai (BTHY) vs. J.Alejandro Jimenez (MCPH) 3-6, 3-1, unfinished

5. Alvaro Rengifo (BTHY) vs. Nicolas Wahl (MCPH) 2-6, 2-2, unfinished

6. Conrad Mascarenhas (BTHY) vs. Timo Hoelzmann (MCPH) unfinished

 

Match Notes

(1) McPherson College 11-3; National ranking #21

(2) Bethany College 13-8

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,3,1)

KCAC Men's Tennis Tournament Championship