In their final regular season match, the Cerritos College men's tennis team posted a 6-3 win on Friday against NCAA Division III school Gustavus Adolphus (MN) College. The Falcons (19-5) will now prepare for both the South Coast Conference Tournament, which they are hosting from April 9-11, as well as the Southern California Regional Team Playoffs. Looking to be either the #3 or #4-seeded team, Cerritos will host their first round opponent at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Playing with a full roster for the first time in two weeks, Cerritos pulled out the hard-fought win against the Gusties. In doubles action, the Falcons won one of the three matches, with the tandem of freshman Mark Antoniuk (W. 124 School, Russia) and Agustin Lombardi (E.S.O.S., Argentina) losing a tight 9-8 decision. The lone win came from sophomore Amadi Kagoma (Malezi School, Kenya) and freshman Antonio Torrebella-Clark (Cypress HS), who earned an 8-4 win.

Returning to the lineup to play singles was freshman Henry Ayesiga (Malezi School, Kenya), and he responded with a 6-2, 6-3 win in the #6 position. Playing yet another strong match in singles action was sophomore Milos Zoric (Gimnazjia Indija, Serbia), as he fought back against Ben Halvorson after losing the first set, 6-2. He extended the match with a 7-5 win in the second set and then went on to earn the win with a 6-2 score in the third set.

Antoniuk had his hands full in singles play, but he survived a 7-6, 7-5 win in the #3 position on the ladder against Nick Reiners, while Kagoma got stronger in the second set in the #1 match, winning, 7-6, 6-1. 

DOUBLES

Amadi Kagoma/Antonio Torrebella-Clark (CERR) def. Sam Hjelm/Colin Rieke (GA), 8-4
Matt Bettes/Matt Baker (GA) def. Mark Antoniuk/Agustin Lombardi (CERR), 9-8
Chad Stearns/Colin Shea (GA) def. Mathieu David/Milos Zoric (CERR), 8-5

SINGLES

Amadi Kagoma (CERR) def. Matt Baker (GA), 7-6, 6-1
Matt Bettes (GA) def. Antonio Torrebella-Clark (CERR), 7-5, 6-2
Mark Antoniuk (CERR) def. Nick Reiners (GA), 7-6, 7-5
Agustin Lombardi (CERR) def. Colin Rieke (GA), 6-2, 6-2
Milos Zoric (CERR) def. Ben Halvorson (GA), 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
Henry Ayesiga (CERR) def. Colin Shea (GA), 6-2, 6-3

Photos by Daryl Peterson