LOS ANGELES – The LMU men's tennis team opened up the 2025 spring season with a decisive 5-2 victory over UC Riverside at the LMU Tennis Center in Los Angeles, Calif.
 
The Lions swept the doubles courts with some impressive team play. Seb Nothhaft and Cesar Cruz breezed to a 6-1 win in No. 1 doubles before Darius Tamaddon and Inigo Diaz Ibarguengoitia clinched up in No. 3 doubles with a 6-2 win. Arthur Pantino and Alex Padro Parra finished the sweep with a 6-4 win on the No. 2 court. Impressively, the exhibition court also went the way of the Lions, with Nic Pesoli and Nikola Kuraica cruising to a 6-1 victory.
 
The Lions won three of the first four singles matches to clinch the team win. Cruz continued to have a very solid collegiate debut with a 6-2 win in the first set before recording a bagel in the second set in making quick work in No. 5 singles.
 
Pedro Parra also recorded his first bagel of the 2025 season in the first set. He put the Lions on the brink of victory with a 6-2 win in the second set.
 
With the Lions leading 3-1, Pantino wrapped the match up in No. 1 singles to send the Lions home as winners. Pantino used his normal steady play to win 6-1, 6-1.
 
Nothhaft also notched a victory to mark the final result in No. 2 singles. After cruising to a 6-2 win in the first set, Nothhaft had to put in some added effort in the second set to secure his first win of 2025, going 6-4.
 
The Lions hit the road to face off against Arizona State, New Mexico State and Grand Canyon to wrap up the week. The Lions will face the Sun Devils on Thursday, January 16 at 9:00 a.m. (PT) before taking on the Aggies on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 10:00 a.m. They wrap up the road trip against the Antelopes on Sunday, Jan. 19 at 12:00 p.m.