M. Tennis: Short-handed Arizona Christian defeats Cerritos

File Photo: Todd Jenkins continues to play in the #1 singles position due to the injury to Nathan Eshmade
File Photo: Todd Jenkins continues to play in the #1 singles position due to the injury to Nathan Eshmade

Although Arizona Christian University arrived with just five players, they still recorded a 6-3 non-conference win against the Cerritos College men's tennis team on Friday. The loss was the second in a row for the Falcons (8-7), who will now host Amherst (MA) College at 3:00 p.m. on Monday in a non-conference match. The NCAA National Quarterfinalist in 2012, the Lord Jeffs will be splitting their squad into three teams that day, as they are also taking on College of the Desert and Vanguard University.

In the Falcons loss to Arizona Christian, the team's top player, freshman Nathan Eshmade (Kings Baptist HS Australia) missed his second straight match. Eshmade is a game-time decision on Monday against Amherst. It moved sophomore Todd Jenkins (Cabrillo HS) to the top of the ladder, where he was defeated, 6-2, 6-0 by Andrew Barnett. Tow more straight set losses were joined by a third-set loss by freshman Maurice Grijalva (Gardena HS), who suffered a 4-6, 6-3, 2-6 defeat at the hands of Michael Munguia in the #4 position.

Freshman Gianni Jeong (Cerritos HS) was the lone winner on the day with his 6-0, 6-1 victory against Geoff Leu at #5, while the Falcons earned points in the #6 and #3 doubles matches due to forfeits. Cerritos played well in doubles, with both matches being played to 8-6 scores.

SINGLES

Andrew Barnett (ACU) def. Todd Jenkins (CERR), 6-2, 6-0
Ian Glessing (ACU) def. Mathew Espiritu (CERR), 6-1, 6-2
Tyler Cawthorne (ACU) def. Julian Avila (CERR), 6-1, 6-1
Michael Munguia (ACU) def. Maurive Grigalva (CERR), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
Gianni Jeong (CERR) def. Geoff Leu (ACU), 6-0, 6-1
Cerritos wins by forfeit

DOUBLES

Andrew Barnett/Ian Glessing (ACU) def. Todd Jenkins/Maurice Grivalva (CERR), 8-6
Tyler Cawthorne/Michael Munguia (ACU) def. Julian Avila/Gianni Jeong (CERR), 8-6
Cerritos wins by forfeit

Photo by Daryl Peterson