LOS ANGELES – After a near perfect afternoon on Friday against San Francisco, the Lions swept Gonzaga 4-0 in their penultimate tennis match of the season at the LMU Tennis Center.Â
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Before the match, the coaches honored the only departing senior on the team,
Yassine Smiej. Smiej spent two seasons on the Bluff and was a staple in the lineup on courts one, two and three as well as showing success on the doubles side as well.Â
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Smiej teamed up with
Max Wuelfing to dominate the third court in doubles to get the Lions out to an early lead.
Toky Ranaivo and
Inigo Diaz Ibarguengoitia finished off a long match on court two to clinch the doubles point and give the Lions an early lead heading into singles play. Â
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LMU continued to show strength up and down the lineup with wins on court one, court three and court five. Â
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Nothhaft stayed strong with a straight sets victory 6-2, 6-1. He dispatched his opponent very quickly and set the Lions up with a two point lead.Â
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Pantino and Wuelfing finished almost simultaneously to clinch the match and possibly a spot in the WCC Men's Tennis Tournament. Â
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Pantino put the Lions on the brink with a 6-3, 7-5 marathon victory in No. 1 singles.Â
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Moments later, Wuelfing finished off a 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 come-from-behind victory to send the Lions into a frenzied celebration. Â
