The Cerritos College men's tennis team earned a great deal of confidence on Thursday, as they upset Palomar College, 5-4 in a non-conference match. The Comets (12-3), projected to be the #4-seeded team in the upcoming Southern California Regional Playoffs, fell victim to a Falcon (11-9) team that will probably be seeded #8 after winning the South Coast Conference championship. The team will close out their regular season on Friday at 2:00 p.m. when they host Gustavus Adolphus (MN) College (11-4), an NCAA Division II school.

In the win over Palomar, the two teams split the six singles matches, which included freshman Maurice Grijalva (Gardena HS) dropping down to the #6 position for the first time this season. It netted a 6-2, 7-6 (7-0) win over Brandon Crisp, which helped the Falcons earn the split in singles. 

The doubles pairing of Grijalva and sophomore Todd Jenkins (Cabrillo HS) dropped down to the #3 spot in doubles play for the first time  and pulled out an 8-3 win over Crisp and Tracy Beblie, Palomar's #1 singles player. Freshman Nathan Eshmade (Kings Baptist HS, Australia) handed Beblie a 6-2, 6-3 decision and improved to 16-1 on the year.

Also winning in singles action were Jenkins (7-6 (7-2), 6-4) in the #3 position, while Eshmade teamed with freshman Mathew Espiritu (Long Beach Millikan HS) for an 8-4 victory in doubles action.

SINGLES

Nathan Eshmade (CERR) def. Tracy Beblie (PAL), 6-2, 6-3
Mauricio Mosquera (PAL) def. Mathew Espiritu (CERR), 6-4, 6-4
Todd Jenkins (CERR) def. Fabio Cruz (PAL), 7-6 (7-2), 6-4
Luke Meoli (PAL) def. Julian Avila (CERR), 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
Spencer Merchat (PAL) def. Gianni Jeong (CERR), 6-3, 6-1
Maurice Grijalva (CERR) def. Brandon Crisp (PAL), 6-2, 7-6 (7-0)

DOUBLES 

Nathan Eshmade/Mathew Espiritu (CERR) def. Mauricio Mosquera/Fabio Cruz (PAL), 8-4
Luke Meoli/Spencer Merchant (PALO) def. Julian Avila/Gianni Jeong (CERR), 8-5
Todd Jenkins/Maurice Grijalva (CERR) def. Tracy Beblie/Brandon Crisp (PAL), 8-3

Photo by Daryl Peterson