In their first home match in 11 days, the Cerritos College men's tennis team posted a 9-0 non-conference win over Saddleback College on Tuesday. The Falcons, who improved to 8-1 on the year, will now travel to Mt. San Antonio College for a 2:00 p.m. South Coast Conference match next Tuesday.

Even though they recorded a shutout win, the Falcons had their hands full in two of the singles matches. Both freshman Eliot Dota (Paris, France) and sophomore Edgar Munoz (Paramount HS) won their first set, 6-3. Dota, playing in the #4 position on the ladder, dropped a 2-6 decision in the second set against Mike Park, but recovered for a 10-6 win in the tie-breaker. It was almost an identical situation for Munoz, who suffered a 3-6 loss to Kris Harris in the second set of his #6 match. Munoz pulled out a 10-6 tie-breaker win to give Cerritos a sweep in singles play.

The day started with doubles play and after the team picked up wins in all three, freshman Aleks Trifunovic (Katrinelunds Gymnasium, Sweden) was held out of singles play due to a nagging injury. The top doubles team of freshmen Oleksandr Krasnov (School 106, Ukraine) and Nikita Katsnelson (Odessa Gymnasium No. 1, Ukraine) posted an 8-3 win and followed that with straight set wins at the top of the singles ladder.

Dota and Munoz teamed up for an 8-2 win, as did sophomores Mark Antoniuk (W. 124 School, Russia) and Agustin Lombardi (E.S.D.S., Argentina). Lombardi earned a 6-1, 6-2 victory in singles, while freshman James Zhang (Shenzhen Luohu Foreign Language School, China) was leading Kian Siadi, 5-0 in the first set when his opponent was forced to retire due to an injury.

SINGLES

Oleksandr Krasnov (CERR) def. Riko Goto (SADD), 6-0, 6-2
Nikita Katsnelson (CERR) def. Connor Mengert (SADD), 6-2, 6-3
Agustin Lombardi (CERR) def. Vance La (SADD), 6-1, 6-2
Eliot Dota (CERR) def. Mike Park (SADD), 6-2, 2-6, 10-6
James Zhang (CERR) def. Kian Saidi (SADD), 5-0, retired
Edgar Munoz (CERR) def. Kris Harris (SADD), 6-2, 3-6, 10-6

DOUBLES

Oleksandr Krasnov/Nikita Katsnelson (CERR) def. Riko Goto/Connor Mengert (SADD), 8-3
Eliot Dota/Edgar Munoz (CERR) def. Vance La/Mike Park (SADD), 8-2
Mark Antoniuk/Agustin Lombardi (CERR) def. Zuriel Aaron/Kian Saidi (SADD), 8-2