SAN DIEGO - After struggling to begin the season, the men's tennis team was able to put together back-to-back wins for the first time this season. The team earned their first doubles sweep of the season and played some of their best tennis so far this year. 

Doubles has been a thorn in the side of PLNU throughout the early stretch of the schedule and they have struggled to get those early wins when they needed them. Today was a much different story beginning with CJ Erion and Grant Alston who came away with a quick 8-1 victory to earn the first point for the Sea Lions at No. 3 doubles. While it was more of a battle at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, each team came away with an 8-5 win to give Point Loma the 3-0 lead heading into singles play. 

Point Loma would get two quick victories in singles play to clinch the match, but were also able to finish strong dropping only one match on the day. Tim Soderman and Ben Smit would grab the quick wins for PLNU at the bottom fo the lineup. Soderman went 6-1, 6-2 at No. 6 singles, while Smit clinched the match going 7-5, 6-2 at No. 5 singles. Point Loma would also get wins from Jack Alston, Yuki Okamoto, and Thomas Dafcik to round out the match. 
 
Team Records
Point Loma 4-4, Western New Mexico 3-7

Wheeler's Words
On the team performance: "Today's win was the best tennis we have played as a team all season. The guys first doubles sweep of the season gave us the momentum to dominate the overall team score against a very tough WNMU team."
 
Up Next
Point Loma will play once more on Saturday when they host conference opponent Holy Names at 2 p.m.

Point Loma 8, Western New Mexico 1
Singles competition
1. Thomas Dafcik (PLNU-MT) def. Liam Fraboulet (WNMU) 7-5, 6-1
2. Vladimir Gnilozubov (WNMU) def. CJ Erion (PLNU-MT) 6-2, 6-4
3. Yuki Okamoto (PLNU-MT) def. Zachary Grabovic (WNMU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Jack Alston (PLNU-MT) def. David Valles (WNMU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Ben Smit (PLNU-MT) def. Niko Barr (WNMU) 7-5, 6-2
6. Tim Soderman (PLNU-MT) def. Pablo Santibanez (WNMU) 6-1, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Thomas Dafcik/Yuki Okamoto (PLNU-MT) def. Liam Fraboulet/Vladimir Gnilozubov (WNMU) 8-5
2. Jack Alston/Tim Soderman (PLNU-MT) def. David Valles/Zachary Grabovic (WNMU) 8-5
3. CJ Erion/Grant Alston (PLNU-MT) def. Jose Mario Neto/Niko Barr (WNMU) 8-1

Match Notes:
Western New Mexico 3-7
Point Loma 4-4
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,5,3,2,1,4)
T-3:07