Bulldogs Off To Quick Start At PNW Intercollegiate
11/3/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
SEATTLE, Wash. - All five Gonzaga University men's tennis players won in the opening round of their singles draws Friday at the Pacific Northwest Intercollegiate at the Nordstrom Tennis Center on the University of Washington's campus.
"We started off well," head coach Peter MacDonald said. "The team came out strong and we picked up some wins. The competition got better in the next round and we came up short in a few matches. I am pretty pleased how well we did compete the entire day."
The tournament is divided into two draws, the Pacific draw and the Northwest draw, for both singles and doubles competition.
In the Pacific singles draw the Zags had sophomore Alvaro Nazal and Olivier Jamin competing.
Nazal entered the draw as the No. 4 seed and looking to continue his spectacular fall season. The Santiago, Chile, native has only dropped one singles match during the fall season and it was in the round of 16 at the ITA Regionals in Moraga, Calif., on Oct. 19-21.
"Alvaro has been playing at a really high level," MacDonald said. "I am excited to see what he can accomplish this weekend."
Nazal picked up where he left off and defeated Seattle University's Kevin Lynch in the round of 32, 6-3, 6-1. He followed that with a 6-7 (6), 7-6 (2), 6-2 battle over the University of Washington's Viktor Farkas to advance to the quarterfinals.
Jamin won his opening match over Alex Marx from Portland State University 6-1, 6-0 before falling in the round of 16 to Marton Bots from Washington 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
"Olivier really battled," MacDonald said. "He is such a competitor and everyone knows how hard and how much he wants to win. His performance is great example to follow."
In the Northwest draw the Bulldogs had Vladimir Mijatovic, Pablo Mosquera Pérez and Vicenete Varas all in action.
All three would win their opening match and fall in the round of 16.
Mijatovic beat Filip Fichel from the University of Idaho 6-4, 6-4 before falling to Lova Randriamampandri from the University of Oregon 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-1.
Mosquera Perez had his first round victory over Kyle Koetje from Eastern Washington University 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-5. The junior would fall in his round of 16 match to No. 4 seed Jeff Hawke from Washington 6-4, 6-2.
Varas handled his opening match against the University of Portland's Jackson Martin 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3). He faced Oregon's Brent Chin in the round of 16 and was defeated 6-4, 6-4.
"No match is easy at this level," MacDonald said. "We had some success and hit a few bumps on the road. If we keep working at it, the success will come."
The Bulldogs had mixed results in doubles.
The Pacific draw saw the freshmen duo of Hayden Smith and Varas fall in the round of 16 to Portland's Alex Ferrero and Ratan Gill 8-2.
Gonzaga would pick up a doubles win in the Northwest draw. The pair of Jamin and Mijatovic beat Seattle's Ian Clare and Augustus Orlando 8-2 to advance.
Also in the draw the tandem of Mosquera and Nazal dropped to Portland's No. 4 seed Kent Andreason and Paxton Deuel 8-1.
"We constantly mix our doubles teams in the fall to see who works well together," MacDonald said. "This will be a great learning experience for the spring."
Play will resume Saturday.
