Cowley men’s tennis team advances four singles players and a doubles team to finals

Continuing to give everything they have each day on the tennis courts, the Cowley College men's tennis team advanced four singles players and a doubles team to Friday's national championship matches to be played in Tyler, TX. However, all four of the Tigers' semifinal losses on Thursday came at the hands of Seward County as the Saints grabbed a one-point lead over Cowley heading into the final day of play.

"It was a tough day, we were expecting to win a couple more matches but things are still in our hands," Cowley head coach Manuel Raga said. "We have to go out tomorrow and give everything we have. We knew it would come down to the last day of the tournament to see who would be the national champion. We just need to go out and win our matches tomorrow."

On Thursday, Cowley got wins from defending national champions Takeshi Taco and Andoni Garmendia at No. 1 and 6 singles as the duo were also victorious at No. 3 doubles. The Tigers other wins came from Hanamichi Carvajal and Gaston Erhardt at No. 3 and No. 4 singles.

National championship matches will begin at 8 a.m. Friday.

Results:

DOUBLES

*No. 1 – Taiyo Hirano/Aymeric Bruno (CC) defeated Eden Benitez/Gabriel Torres (Jacksonville) 6-2, 6-1; defeated Luis Ching/Tristan Vigneron (Collin) 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-3 in the quarterfinals; lost to Luciano Fisciaro/Karlo Krolo (Seward) 5-7, 5-7 in the semifinals.

*No. 2 – Gaston Erhardt/Boruch Skierkier (CC) defeated Theo Devals-Hamel/Arthur Praud (Iowa Central) 6-0, 6-0; defeated Liam Barry/Ruben Emmerson-Hiini (USC Sumter) 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals; lost to Luke Quaynor/Kylian Savary (Seward) 2-6, 6-7 in the semifinals.

*No. 3 – Andoni Garmendia/Takeshi Taco (CC) defeated Tristian Du Plessis/Alex Rainer (Walters State) 6-4, 6-2; defeated Nolen Laderee/Zamani Moyo (Iowa Central) 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals; defeated Gianni Lopez/Edward Shteyn (Collin) 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinals.

SINGLES

*No. 1 – Takeshi Taco (CC) defeated Mikar Fisher (Tyler JC) 6-0, 6-0; defeated Paul Gayk (Mississippi Gulf Coast) 6-3, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; defeated Lucas Gonzalez (E. Florida State) 6-2. 6-3 in the semifinals.

*No. 2 – Boruch Skierkier (CC) defeated Carlos Gutierrez (NMMI) 6-0, 6-0; defeated Luis Ching (Collin) 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals; lost to Luke Quaynor (Seward) 3-6, 6-2, 5-7 in the semifinals.

*No. 3 – Hanamichi Carvajal (CC) defeated Ryan Christensen (Jacksonville) 6-1, 6-1; defeated Eduardo Morais (Barton) 6-3, 6-1 in the quarterfinals; defeated Ignacio Orgaz (ABAC) 6-1, 6-1 in the semifinals.

*No. 4 – Gaston Erhardt (CC) defeated Anderson DeLaney (Mississippi Gulf Coast) 6-3, 6-2; defeated Djordje Kurcubic (Collin) 6-2, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; defeated Barnabas Kalaba (Barton) 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals.

*No. 5 – Harry Collins (CC) defeated Alexander Hassell (Jacksonville) 6-1, 6-0; defeated Arthur Praud (Iowa Central) 6-1, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; lost to Karlo Krolo (Seward) 4-6, 4-6 in the semifinals.

*No. 6 – Andoni Garmendia (CC) defeated Parker Chaney (Meridian) 6-1, 6-0; defeated Soren Younger (Paradise Valley) 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; defeated Corentin Venot (E. Florida State) 6-1, 6-4 in the semifinals.