For the first time ever, the Cerritos College men's tennis team posted a win over Ventura College. The Falcons (17-5) recorded a 7-2 non-conference decision over the Pirates (5-5) on Tuesday. It was the final match until Cerritos hosts the South Coast Conference Tournament, which will take place April 10-12.

Unable to bring in international students this season, Ventura was no match for the Falcons, who started by sweeping doubles play and then winning four of the six singles matches, all in straight sets.

In the #3 doubles spot, freshman Nicholas Simonelli (Long Beach Wilson HS) and Sheldon Hseih (Long Beach Poly HS) posted an 8-1 win, while the other two matches were 8-3 scores in favor of the Falcons. Nathan Eshmade (Kings Baptist, Australia HS) and Amadi Kagoma (Malezi School, Kenya HS) returned to their winning ways, while the tandem of Milos Zoric (Gimnazjia Indijija, Serbia HS) and Mark Herrera (Bosco Tech HS) evened their record at 5-5 together.

Eshmade dominated Vitor Mendes at the top of the singles ladder, while Kagoma was leading, 6-3, 3-0 before Matheus Montero was forced to retire with an injury. The top two singles players both remained undefeated on the season. Zoric (6-2, 6-1) and Hseih (6-3, 6-2) also picked up wins in singles play.

SINGLES

Nathan Eshmade (CERR) def. Vitor Mendes (VEN), 6-4. 6-4
Amadi Kagoma (CERR) def. Matheus Montero (VEN), 6-3, 3-0 (retired)
Milos Zoric (CERR) def. Daniel Mitchell (VEN), 6-2, 6-1
Victor Dos Santos (VEN) def. Nicholas Simonelli (CERR), 6-2, 6-2
Arthur DaSilva (VEN) def. Mark Herrera (CERR), 6-2, 6-2
Sheldon Hseih (CERR) def. Dylan Foster (VEN), 6-3, 6-2

DOUBLES

Nathan Eshmade/Amadi Kagoma (CERR) def. Vitor Mendes/Matheus Montero (VEN), 8-3
Milos Zoric/Mark Herrera (CERR) def. Nicholas Behrens/Arthur DaSilva (VEN), 8-3
Nicholas Simonelli/Sheldon Hseih (CERR) def. Victor Dos Santos/Dylan Foster (VEN), 8-1

Photos by Daryl Peterson