Despite playing in the tranquil and relaxing environment Palos Verdes overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Warriors’ men’s tennis team came out fired up against the Marymount Mariners.
After a 7-2 victory over the Long Beach City College Vikings Thursday, the team continued to steamroll through the South Coast Conference with another 7-2 victory over the Mariners Tuesday.
With its second consecutive conference match in the books, the team (4-1, 2-0) will travel to the much-improved Cerritos Falcons today at 2 p.m. and put their four-game win streak on the line.
The Falcons are typically in the lower tier of the South Coast Conference, but they have stepped it up this season and can be considered contenders by coaches and players.
“Word through the grapevine is that Cerritos is a much more improved team than last year and it should be a good match,” coach Steve Van Kanegan said.
The Warriors will try to be equally balanced in both singles and doubles matches, as they were against the Mariners in order to overcome the tough opponents that they are expecting the Falcons to be.
“We had a real solid performance; our doubles teams played real well, and we are improving every day,” Kanegan said in reference to the match versus the Mariners.
Two of the three Warrior doubles teams were both successful with scores of 8-1, allowing the team to feel confident heading into the singles matches.
The confidence gained in the doubles matches allowed them to win five of six single matches against the Mariners, led by top player Tipton McMahon and Victor Nutt, both winning 6-0, 6-2.
During their last outing against the Vikings, the Warriors stepped up and gave a strong doubles along with solid singles matches to come out on top.
The Warriors’ three doubles teams got the match started in great fashion by sweeping Long Beach 8-4, 8-2, and 8-3, gaining a sense of confidence going into the singles matches.
“Considering we usually win only one doubles match, to win all of them was pretty good,” assistant coach Adam Von Arx said.
Following the doubles matches, the Warriors headed into the singles matches determined to close out the first conference match.
The doubles success carried over to the singles matches, where the Warriors sealed the match by winning four of six matches, led by Jun Espiritu and Victor Nutt, both winning 6-0, 6-0.
Espiritu and Nutt were not hindered by the rain in the previous week; they got off to a quick start and were relentless through the final forehand winner.
“I work at a tennis club so I’m around it twenty-four seven,” Nutt said. “I feel we’re going to be able to go to the championship.
With projected clear skies in the coming weeks, the team looks to continue on the strong foundation it has alreay laid in the past week.
