WHITTIER, Calif. -- On Sunday, the Kenyon College men's tennis team picked up a big 8-1 win over hosting Whittier College. The No. 31-ranked Owls pounded the Poets to end a three-dual losing streak and pick up their second spring break win in California, improving to 4-4 overall while sending Whittier to an 0-6 mark.
Kenyon started strong with two doubles victories. Paulo Pocasangre Kreling and Eliezer Gonzalez won the No. 1 match 8-4, Rakkan Audeh and Rishil Kondapaneni took the No. 3 bout 8-2. Whittier downed Alejandro Gonzalez and Harshal Rukhaiyar 8-6 at No. 2 to tack a point onto the board, but the Owls shut down the Poets in singles.Â
The visiting Owls secured all six matches in straight sets, outscoring the Poets 72-16 overall. Rukhaiyar ran the table in the No. 6 clash, dominating 6-0, 6-0. Alejandro Gonzalez had the next-best win, a 6-2, 6-0 decision in the No. 3 bout.
Three Owls conceded three games over their singles showings. Kondapaneni and Gianluca Bocanegra posted matching 6-1, 6-2 scores in the Nos. 2 and 4 matches, respectively, while Audeh authored a 6-2, 6-1 victory at No. 5. Whittier's top singles player put up the toughest fight, but Pocasangre Kreling came out on top 6-2, 6-3.
Kenyon has a few days off before the final match of their spring break slate. The Owls are set to see Sewanee, the nation's No. 11-ranked team, on Wednesday, March 13. The dual is scheduled for 10 a.m. (PST) in Malibu, California.
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