Azusa, CA (2/15/10) – At the Munson & Bavougian Tennis Complex, the fifth-ranked HPU men’s tennis team topped Azusa Pacific University, 5-4. The Sea Warriors improve to 2-1 on their road trip, and 4-1 overall. The Cougars, ranked #5 in the NAIA, fall to 1-1.
HPU nearly held a commanding lead after doubles play. Nikola Petrov and Dominic Mclusky won in No.1 singles, 8-4, and the team of Daniel Luedi and Anton Samuilau took the No.2 match, 8-6. Aleksandar Markov and Sebastian Bader would be unable to give HPU a 3-0 lead, falling to the APU pair of Jochem Hoefnagels and Alex Lane, 9-8, in third doubles.
The Cougars went ahead 3-2 after taking the No.1 and No.2 singles matches. Petrov fell 6-3, 6-1, in first singles to Matthijs Bolsius, and Markov was defeated by Janosch Apelt, 6-3, 6-2, at the two.
HPU trailed 4-3 after Sebastian Bader won at No.5 singles and Mclusky fell at No. 3 singles, and needed to win the final two matches to earn the victory. Luedi tied the match with a 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 win over Mathius Weber in four singles, and Samuilau secured the victory with his win at the six. He defeated Ronald Chow, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
HPU concludes its mainland trip tomorrow, February 16, versus Division I Loyola Marymount. Start time in Los Angeles is set for 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time.