Doubles Point Crucial As Mustangs Win 4-3 Battle Over Gonzaga

Sunday, March 14

San Luis Obispo, Calif.

10 A.M.

Gonzaga

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.