The Cerritos College men's tennis team opened the 2016 season with a dominant 9-0 win over visiting Mt. San Jacinto College on Thursday. The Falcons (1-0), the defending South Coast Conference champions, will travel to Riverside City College for a 2:00 p.m. non-conference match on Tuesday.
In the win, Cerritos dropped just four total games, with four of the other five matches finishing with a 6-0, 6-0 score. The Eagles (0-1) had just five roster players, which resulted in forfeit wins in the #6 singles and #3 doubles positions for the Falcons.
Freshman Nikita Katsnelson (Odessa Gymnasium No. 1, Ukraine) earned the team's #1 singles position and recorded a 6-2, 6-2 victory. The other four matches, including the ones played by sophomores Agustin Lombardi (E.S.D.S., Argentina) and Mark Antoniuk (W. 124 School, Russia) were shutout wins. The two also teamed up for an 8-2 doubles victory.
SINGLES
Nikita Katsnelson (CERR) def. Nicholas Tessi (SANJAC), 6-2, 6-2
Agustin Lombardi (CERR) def. Brandon Herman (SANJAC), 6-0, 6-0
Aleks Trifunovic (CERR) def. Derek Higgins (SANJAC), 6-0, 6-0
James Zhang (CERR) def. Edward Mota (SANJAC), 6-0, 6-0
Mark Antoniuk (CERR) def. Victor Valdovinos (SANJAC), 6-0, 6-0
Dave Evans (CERR) win by forfeit
DOUBLES
Aleks Trifunovic/James Zhang (CERR) def. Nicholas Tessi/Brandon Herman (SANJAC), 8-2
Agustin Lombardi/Mark Antoniuk (CERR) def. Derek Higgins/Edward Mota (SANJAC), 8-2
Kyle Konishi/Derik Dizon (CERR) win by forfeit