The Cerritos College men's tennis team won their third match in a row, as they defeated host Grossmont College, 5-2 on Tuesday. The match was halted before the final two doubles matches due to darkness, with the Falcons up one set in both of them at the time it was halted. Cerritos (4-2) will now travel to Los Angeles Pierce College for a 2:00 p.m. match on Thursday.
A couple of big singles wins led to the team's victory, as sophomore Nathan Eshmade (Kings Baptist, Australia HS) fought back from a 4-1 deficit in the first set to run off five games to post a 6-4 win. He followed that with a convincing 6-2 win in the second set against Gustavo Castro at the top of the ladder. In the #5 position, sophomore Mark Herrera (Bosco Tech HS) let the second set slip away after serving at 40-0 with three match points in hand. The second set loss forced a tie-breaker and Herrera was forced to come back from an 8-4 deficit, but eventually went on to win 13-11 over Ryan Torio to give the Falcons four wins in singles play.
Eshmade and freshman Amadi Kagoma (Malezi School, Kenya HS) clinched the team victory with their 6-1, 6-2 win in doubles play before darkness ended the match. The Falcons were also leading in the other two doubles matches.
Kagoma posted a strong 6-1, 6-0 win in the #2 position of singles play, while freshman Sheldon Hseih (Long Beach Poly HS) handed Alexandre Bourdeaux a 6-1, 6-1 defeat at the #6 spot in the ladder for the fourth team win in singles action.
SINGLES
Nathan Eshmade (CERR) def. Gustavo Castro (GROS), 6-4, 6-2
Amadi Kagoma (CERR) def. Brett Pearce (GROS), 6-1, 6-0
Alan Lamas (GROS) def. Milos Zoric (CERR), 6-1, 6-2
Eric Alm (GROS) def. Nicholas Simonelli (CERR), 7-5, 6-2
Mark Herrera (CERR) def. Ryan Torio (GROS), 6-3, 6-7, 13-11
Sheldon Hseih (CERR) def. Alexandre Bourdeaux (GROS), 6-1, 6-1
DOUBLES
Nathan Eshmade/Amadi Kagoma (CERR) def. Gustavo Castro/Alan Lamas (GROS), 6-1, 6-2
Miles Zoric/Mark Herrera (CERR) leading Brett Pearce/Ryan Torio (GROS), 6-1, 1-2 (unfinished)
Nicholas Simonelli/Sheldon Hseih (CERR) leading Eric Alm/Alexandre Bourdeaux (GROS), 6-1, 5-2 (unfinished)