CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Wrapping up a tough three-dual weekend on Sunday, the Kenyon College men's tennis team kept rolling at the Mayfield Village Racquet Club, capping the stellar two-day trip with a 4-0 sweep of Hobart College. The victory clinched Kenyon's third straight win over just about 24 hours, boosting the No. 17-ranked Owls' record to 13-2 heading into the heart of conference play.
Though Hobart (4-7) did not enter the dual with a national ranking, the Statesmen still presented a tough test as the team had been ranked No. 37 before this week's updated standings. The teams traded doubles blows, but the Owls pulled away to secure the sweep.
Gianluca Bocanegra paired up with Paulo Pocasangre Kreling in doubles for the first time in dual play, and the team's top doubles spot didn't miss a beat despite the new face. The duo cruised to a 6-2 win in the No. 1 bout, and Kenyon's No. 3 duo of Rishil Kondapaneni and Eric Zhang added a 6-3 win to help clinch the doubles point.
Hobart won 7-5 at No. 2 doubles, but the Owls stopped the Statesmen from stealing a single set in singles. Pocasangre Kreling and Bocanegra maintained their doubles momentum as both players picked up singles victories.
Pocasangre Kreling locked down the No. 1 spot with a 6-2, 6-2 win, while Bocanegra won 6-1, 6-3 at No. 5. The victory was Pocasangre Kreling's 14th straight singles success as the junior has been unbeaten in 14 singles matches this spring. Bocanegra's triumph marked the sophomore's first win in dual play this season.Â
Juozas Cioladis helped clinch the team's victory with a 6-0, 6-4 straight-set win in the fourth flight, the first-year's third straight singles win.
After 13 straight duals on the road, the Owls will host their first matchups since the start of the spring when the team welcomes Wittenberg University and Ohio Wesleyan University, a pair of North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) foes, to Gambier next weekend. The Owls will open the weekend at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 11 against the Tigers before celebrating Senior Day against the Battling Bishops at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 12.
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