Lancers Take Down No. 24 Knights

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Grace's men's tennis team continued its march through the conference season with another victory on Monday morning. The 20th-ranked Lancers knocked off No. 24 Marian in a NAIA Top-25 matchup by a 5-2 scoreline. 

Grace (4-0, 4-0 CL) swept doubles play to get on the scoreboard first. Pablo Gregori and Salva Pons put the visitors on the verge, winning 6-1. Manuel Marques and Roko Misura picked up the clincher 6-3 to secure the doubles point. Artur Pons and Luis Cordoba finished off doubles with a 6-4 win.

The Lancers claimed the first three points of singles action to clinch the win. Benjamin Rahine won in straight sets 6-2, 6-2, followed by Artur Pons in the No. 3 slot 6-4, 6-3. Luis Cordoba provided the decisive point in straight sets 6-3, 7-5.

With the match already secured, the final three matchups went to a tiebreaker to determine a winner. Salva Pons dropped a close one after splitting the first two sets. His bout finished 2-6, 6-0, 4-6. Gregori battled back after dropping the first set to win his match 5-7, 6-1, 6-4. Marques forced the tiebreak before falling 5-7, 6-4, 3-6 to close out the day.

The Lancers will travel to Indiana Wesleyan on Sept. 14, marking the beginning of the second half of the conference schedule.

DOUBLES

1. Gregori/S. Pons (GC) def. Ashworth/Kunkle, 6-1
2. Marques/Misura (GC) def. Bartolome/Soriano, 6-3
3. A Pons/Cordoba (GC) def. Garcia/Cabrera, 6-4

SINGLES

1. Pablo Gregori (GC) def. James Ashwort, 5-7, 6-1, 6-4
2. Tjark Kunkle def. Salva Pons (GC), 6-2, 0-6, 6-4
3. Artur Pons (GC) def. Bogdan Precupescu, 6-4, 6-3
4. Luis Cordoba (GC) def. Marc Soriano, 6-3, 7-5
5. Benjamin Rahine (GC) def. Marcos Cabrera, 6-2, 6-2
6. Jan Bartolome def. Manuel Marques (GC), 7-5, 4-6, 6-3