LOS ANGELES – The LMU men's tennis team clinched a victory over No. 43 Yale after
Arthur Pantino came back from a one-set deficit in No. 1 singles to finish the match at 4-3 at the LMU Tennis Center.
The Lions took the doubles point and refused to give Yale an inch in singles en route to the victory.
Sebastian Nothhaft and
Youssef Sadek battled to a 6-4 win in No. 1 doubles after the match was knotted up at 3-3. They won three of the last four games to put the Lions on the brink.
Jacopo Denitto and Nikola Kuraica shored up the doubles point with a 6-4 victory in No. 3 doubles. They too were knotted at 3-3 before winning three of the last four games to clinch the point.
The Bulldogs did their best to come back in singles, but the Lions held them off for the win.
Cesar Cruz continued his outstanding freshman season with a straight sets win in No. 3 doubles. He won 6-3, 6-2 to add to the Lions lead.
Yale would answer with a win on court four to bring a point back, but Denitto won a tiebreaker in the first set and then cruised to a 6-3 win in the second to put the Lions on the brink of victory.
Needing one point from the final three courts, Pantino stepped up after Yale brought one back on court 5. Pantino dropped the first set 3-6 before storming back with a 6-2 win in the second set and a 6-3 win in the third to clinch the victory.
The Lions were happy to get on the court after a pair of rain cancellations and took advantage with the 4-3 win. They have a pair of nonconference matchups remaining against Dartmouth on Wednesday, March 19 and against UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday, March 25.
