
Doubles Point Crucial As Mustangs Win 4-3 Battle Over Gonzaga
3/14/2021 3:06:00 PM | Men's Tennis
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — After playing doubles following singles play, the Cal Poly men's tennis team took the doubles point to clinch a 4-3 victory over visiting Gonzaga Sunday at Mustang Tennis Complex for its second win in a row.
The two teams decided to flip the script and play singles first and then doubles Sunday, leading to a dramatic finish.
In singles, after the Bulldogs (8-3) won the first point by taking court two redshirt freshman Fernando Fonseca tied the match after he won his match at the No. 6 spot 6-4, 6-4. He is now 6-6 so far this season and has won his last two matches.
The Mustangs (6-7) then took a 2-1 lead after redshirt junior Alex Stater was victorious at the No. 1 spot in straight sets 6-2, 6-4. He is now a team-best 9-3 this season.
Gonzaga later took a 3-2 lead after win at the No. 5 and No. 3 spots. With the team's back up against the wall, redshirt freshman Joe Leather (pictured) pulled out a clutch three-set win at the No. 4 spot 6-3, 2-6, 6-5 to tie the match 3-3 and force it to come down to the doubles point. Leather now sports a 6-5 record and has won his last three matches.
In doubles, Cal Poly's No. 2 pair of redshirt senior Antoine Noel and redshirt junior Andrew Whitehouse took their match first, winning 6-4 to improve their record together this season to 2-1.
The Mustangs' No. 3 pair of Stater and redshirt sophomore Gary Vardanyan then clinched the victory for Cal Poly after a 6-3 win to improve to 4-2 together this season.
Cal Poly will look to make it three wins in a row Monday when welcoming New Mexico to Mustang Tennis Complex at 12 p.m.
The two teams decided to flip the script and play singles first and then doubles Sunday, leading to a dramatic finish.
In singles, after the Bulldogs (8-3) won the first point by taking court two redshirt freshman Fernando Fonseca tied the match after he won his match at the No. 6 spot 6-4, 6-4. He is now 6-6 so far this season and has won his last two matches.
The Mustangs (6-7) then took a 2-1 lead after redshirt junior Alex Stater was victorious at the No. 1 spot in straight sets 6-2, 6-4. He is now a team-best 9-3 this season.
Gonzaga later took a 3-2 lead after win at the No. 5 and No. 3 spots. With the team's back up against the wall, redshirt freshman Joe Leather (pictured) pulled out a clutch three-set win at the No. 4 spot 6-3, 2-6, 6-5 to tie the match 3-3 and force it to come down to the doubles point. Leather now sports a 6-5 record and has won his last three matches.
In doubles, Cal Poly's No. 2 pair of redshirt senior Antoine Noel and redshirt junior Andrew Whitehouse took their match first, winning 6-4 to improve their record together this season to 2-1.
The Mustangs' No. 3 pair of Stater and redshirt sophomore Gary Vardanyan then clinched the victory for Cal Poly after a 6-3 win to improve to 4-2 together this season.
Cal Poly will look to make it three wins in a row Monday when welcoming New Mexico to Mustang Tennis Complex at 12 p.m.
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