Men's Tennis Falls In First Round Of Championships

Mobile, AL - The men's tennis team played the first round of the NAIA National Championships this morning, falling 4-5 to McPherson College.

It was clear from the beginning that this would be a match that would come down to the wire. The teams were only separated in the rankings by one spot and it quickly became apparent that they were very similar in talent as well.

The number one doubles team of Jose Daniele Razo Torres and Borja Perez (FR/Bilbao, Spain) jumped out to an early 6-1 lead before hanging on for an 8-4 victory. The number two pair of Danil Tarantinov and Felipe Suarez Parra dropped their match 5-8 before the number three team of Lorenzo Panariti and David James Parker (JR/Boise, ID) gave the Yellowjackets a 2-1 lead by winning their doubles match 8-4.

The Jacket lead was short lived though as McPherson took the number one and number two singles in straight sets to take a 3-2 team lead.

Graceland needed to win three of the last four matches that were currently in progress (singles matches number 3, 4, 5 and 6).

In dramatic fashion, all four of these remaining matches went to the third set. Both number three, Tarantinov, and number four, Suarez Parra, lost their first set but came back to dominate the second set.

Tarantinov would then cruise to a three set victory (5-7, 6-2, 6-1). Suarez Parra would carry his momentum into the third set as well, pushing out to a 4-1 lead.

But then cramps set in.

Unable to move on the court, Suarez Parra fought valiantly through the pain and stuck it out to the last point. But unfortunately, his body would not cooperate and he ended up losing the final five games of the match (6-3, 3-6, 6-4)

The temperature was hot, but it was the humidity that was really taking its toll on all of the athletes.

With the score now 4-3 in favor of the Bulldogs, GU had to win the final two matches in progress, number five and number six singles.

Parker, playing the number six line, was able to grind and wear his opponent down and finally won 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

So all the marbles fell to the number five singles matchup. Lorenzo had won the first set 6-2 and was tied 4-4 in the second set before he also started cramping. He lost the second set 5-7. The coming out in the third set, it was clear that Panariti was having difficulty moving.

Then serving in the second game, his body locked up and the trainer was called to see what could be done to help Panariti continue. Knowing that the entire match was in the balance, Lorenzo tried to give it one more try. But only two points later both legs locked up again and he retired from the match.

It was a disappointing way to lose the match, but all of the players walked away with heads held high, knowing that they gave every ounce that they had to give.

From head coach Joel Loving:

"It is always tough to end the season in a close match like that. I think that our guys battled really well. McPherson is a good team and well coached. Their place in the National Championships is well deserved. But it is disappointing that we were not able to play our match in conditions that we were used to playing in. In spite of this tough loss, I am really proud of these players and what they have been able to accomplish despite the adversity that they have had to overcome this season."

The men's tennis team concludes a successful 2015 season with a twelfth straight national championships appearance.

Congratulations on a great season!