A day after suffering a loss to the top-ranked team in Southern California, the Cerritos College men's tennis team rebounded with a convincing 9-0 win over visiting Palomar College on Friday. The Falcons (3-1) rested several of their top players, but were still able to record straight set sweeps in five of the six singles matches and win handily in doubles play. The team will now play their next four matches on the road, starting on Tuesday when they travel to Glendale College for a 2:00 p.m. start.

With the team resting its two top singles players, who also serve as the top doubles pair, the Falcons inserted a pair of freshmen for their first collegiate action. Eliot Dota (Paris, France) and Kyle Konishi (Mayfair HS) assumed the #5 and #6 positions on the singles ladder, as well as the #3 doubles pair. Dota swept Dean Vo (6-0, 6-0), while Konishi posted a 61-, 6-3 win. In doubles action, the two teamed for an 8-3 win.

Taking over the top spot in singles was freshman Aleks Trifunovic (Katrinelunds Gymnasium, Sweden), who was extended to a third set tie-breaker. He opened with a 6-4 win and after losing the second set, 6-1, was extended to an 11-9 score in the tie-breaker against Peter Trhac. Freshman James Zhang (Shenzhen Luohu Foreign Language School, China) posted a 6-2, 6-0 win in the #2 spot, while the piar registered an 8-4 in the top doubles match.

Sophomore Mark Antoniuk (W. 124 School, Russia) moved to the #3 spot in singles and came away with a solid 6-1, 6-0 win, as did sophomore Edgar Munoz (Paramount HS). The two also earned an 8-2 win in doubles.

SINGLES

Aleks Trifunovic (CERR) def. Peter Trhac (PAL), 6-4, 1-6, 11-9
James Zhang (CERR) def. Abraham Alex (PAL), 6-2, 6-0
Mark Antoniuk (CERR) def. Taylor Bryant (PAL), 6-1, 6-0
Edgar Martinez (CERR) def. Alex Daniel (PAL), 6-1, 6-0
Eliot Dota (CERR) def. Dean Vo (PAL), 6-0, 6-0
Kyle Konishi (CERR) def. Dorian Blanchard (PAL), 6-1, 6-3

DOUBLES

Aleks Trifunovic/James Zhang (CERR) def. Peter Trhac/Taylor Bryant (PAL), 8-4
Mark Antoniuk/Edgar Munoz (CERR) def. Alex Daniel/Dean Vo (PAL), 8-2
Eliot Dota/Kyle Konishi (CERR) def. Adam Lippert/Jacob Schaefer (PAL), 8-3

Photos by Daryl Peterson