Tiger tennis team falls 5-4 to Pratt in a battle of top-5 teams
In a matchup of two of the top-five teams in NJCAA Division 1 tennis, the No. 2-ranked Pratt Beavers slipped past the No. 5-ranked Cowley College men’s tennis team by a score of 5-4 on Thursday in Arkansas City, KS.
The difference came in doubles, where Pratt took two of three matches. The Tigers were victorious in 1-3 singles before losing matches at four through six.
Cowley's lone doubles win came from its No. 1 duo of Haruki Okude and Dan Hosono. The Tigers earned singles victories from Okude, Hosono, and Luca Laurindo.
Before the contest, Cowley honored sophomores Guilherme Coelho, Dan Hosono, and Vaughn Smith, who were taking part in their final home match.
Cowley will face another ranked opponent when they play at No. 7-ranked Seward County on Tuesday, April 7, in Liberal, KS.
Results:
DOUBLES
MEN
*No. 1 – Haruki Okude/Dan Hosono (CC) defeated Traan Clark Nelson/Sam Dinneen (PCC) 8-6.
*No. 2 – Luca Laurindo/Wojtek Biela (CC) lost to Kanta Kawada/Thio Tshiwhase (PCC) 6-8.
*No. 3 – Vaughn Smith/Guilherme Coelho (CC) lost to Daniel Blinov/Eddie Westfall (PCC) 4-8.
SINGLES
*No. 1 – Okude (CC) defeated Blinov (PCC) 2-6, 6-0, 6-3.
*No. 2 – Hosono (CC) defeated Dinneen (PCC) 6-7, 7-6, 10-8.
*No. 3 – Laurindo (CC) defeated Kawada (PCC) 7-6(5), 4-6, 13-11.
*No. 4 – Biela (CC) lost to Nelson (PCC) 6-7, 1-6.
*No. 5 – Coelho (CC) lost to Matthew Harris (PCC) 2-6, 2-6.
*No. 6 – Smith (CC) lost to Tshiwhase (PCC) 1-6, 1-6.