by Gavin Hall, Santa Clara Athletics Media Relations Student Assistant
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara men's tennis got two wins over a pair of nationally-ranked singles players and was only a point away in their home loss to No. 11-ranked Columbia 4-3.
Columbia featured a trio of ranked singles players with Guillaume Dalmasso and Christian Lerby coming up on the winning end in a hard fought battle at the Degheri Tennis Center on Saturday afternoon.
Beginning with the doubles matches, Columbia took the first match on Court 1 but the duo of Mann Shah and Christian Lerby were able to win their match 6-4 on Court 2. However, Columbia was able to clinch the doubles point with a close 6-4 win on Court 3.
The Lions (8-1) were able to get the singles matches off to a good start after No. 16-ranked Michael Zheng took down Arthur Neuhaus on Court 1 followed by Shah's defeat to Hugo Hashimoto on Court 4. The Broncos (7-5) however battled back as Santiago Hinojosa got Santa Clara's first point on Court 6, winning his match against Henry Ruger 6-4, 6-2. Hinojosa's match was then quickly followed by Dalmasso's win on Court 2 against Columbia's No. 59 Roko Horvat 6-4, 6-4 to bring the match score to 3-2.
The Bronco's hopes for a win soon dwindled as Nicolas Kotzen took down Jack Pulliam on Court 5 to clinch the match for Columbia. The only match left to play after the clincher was Lerby's which was played out completely. Lerby was able to come out victorious, winning in the third set to go 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 over No. 75 Max Westphal and to make the final score 4 points to 3.
NEXT UP
The Broncos travel to Las Vegas to take on UNLV on Friday, March 17 at 1 p.m.
RESULTS
#11 Columbia Men's Tennis 4, Santa Clara 3
Mar 11, 2023 at Santa Clara, Calif. (Degheri Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. #16 Michael Zheng (COL-MT) def. Arthur Neuhaus (SCU) 6-3, 6-2
2. Guillaume Dalmasso (SCU) def. #59 Roko Horvat (COL-MT) 6-4, 6-4
3. Christian Lerby (SCU) def. #75 Max Westphal (COL-MT) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
4. Hugo Hashimoto (COL-MT) def. Mann Shah (SCU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Nicolas Kotzen (COL-MT) def. Jack Pulliam (SCU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Santiago Hinojosa (SCU) def. Henry Ruger (COL-MT) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Max Westphal/Michael Zheng (COL-MT) def. Arthur Neuhaus/Guillaume Dalmasso (SCU) 6-2
2. Mann Shah/Christian Lerby (SCU) def. Nicolas Kotzen/Theo Winegar (COL-MT) 6-4
3. Ishaan Ravichander/Henry Ruger (COL-MT) def. Jack Pulliam/Santiago Hinojosa (SCU) 6-4
Match Notes
Columbia Men's Tennis 8-1; National ranking #11
Santa Clara 7-5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,4,6,2,5,3)
