GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University men's tennis team swept all six singles matches as they celebrated Senior Day with a 6-1 win over in-state rival Colorado College on Saturday afternoon at the Elliott Tennis Center.
The Mavericks, ranked 36
th in the ITA's NCAA Division II Team Rankings, improved to 12-9 overall while the Tigers, ranked 61
st in Division III, fell to 3-10 despite winning two of the three doubles matches to take the early lead.
However, the Mavs roared back in singles, winning five of the six official matches in straight sets to claim their 22nd straight dual victory over the Tigers since and including 2012 after defeating MSU Denver for the first time since 2017 on Friday.
CMU also finished their brief 4-match home schedule with a 3-1 record and will play the Roadrunners and Tigers again next weekend on the Front Range to wrap up the regular season.
In Saturday's victory,
Henry Scheck went 2-0 as he and
William Leschig, who sat out of singles play, claimed a 6-2 No. 2 doubles win over Nate Beerman and Lenny Lehmitz, CMU's lone official doubles win as the Tigers rallied for 6-3, and 7-6 (7-3) wins in the first and third doubles flights, respectively.
Scheck then came from 5-4 down in the second set to defeat Lucas Pastor, 6-2, 7-5 in the top singles flight moments before
Romain Payan finished off a 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 win at No. 3 singles to clinch the dual.
Senior
Philemon Jabin, who was recognized before what was his final home dual of his career, also won at No. 2 singles by a 6-3, 6-1 scoreline over Aiden Little while
Emil Hultman put up the Mavs' first team point thanks to a 6-1, 6-3 win over Sam Dilworth at No. 4 singles.
Jabin, a native of Brussels, Belgium, has been with the Mavs for two years after transferring from Ventura (Calif.) College and picked up his 11
th singles win and 16
th total win of the season.
Hultman is now a team-best 17-8 in singles this year and is tied for eighth most in program history for the most singles wins in a season.
Payan now has 14 singles wins to his credit while Scheck has won 11 times this year.
Although they had already clinched the dual, the Mavs added on in the second wave of matches as
Diogo Manzano out-lasted Lehmitz in a tight No. 5 singles affair, winning 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 1-0 (10-8).
Jamison Pfingston also claimed a hard-fought, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 win over Mateo Megar at No. 6 singles.
CMU freshman
Luke Burriesci also split pair of exhibition pro sets after teaming with Manzano for a 6-3 exhibition doubles win over Pastor and Little.
The Mavs will now await the news of the final Pacific West Conference Tournament Selection Rankings call that will be held on Monday to select the eight teams that will play in the Apr. 17-19 PacWest Championships in Surprise, Arizona.
They will then play at MSU Denver next Friday before wrapping up the regular season next Saturday in Colorado Springs against the Tigers at Memorial Park.
