Wildcats News
Fri, Apr 25, 2008 - [Men's Tennis]
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 25, 2008) – The Bethel Wildcats tennis team cruised in the NAIA Region XI semi-final match-up against Georgetown College 5-1. But, some nagging injuries contributed to the #7 Wildcats first loss of the year in the championship match as they fell to the #11 ranked Lindsey Wilson College Blue Raiders 5-3.
 

In the semi-finals, Bethel took two of the three doubles matches. Number one's Arnaud Bichon and Thiago Olivera lost 3-8; number two's Gustavo Hoewell and Augusto Velez won 8-1; Fernando Ristow and Andres Mejia 8-3. Holding a 2-1 lead after the doubles matches, the Wildcats only need to win three singles matches to win. It didn't take long as Bethe lost only 2 games in the three singles wins. Hoewell won at the number four position 6-0, 6-1; Oliveria in the number five spot won 6-0, 6-1; and Velez blanked his opponent 6-0, 6-0.

In the championship match, the Wildcats found themselves down 1-2 after doubles action. Bichon and Oliveria lost a close match 6-8; Hoewell and Velez also lost a close match 5-8; and Ristow and Mejia won 8-2. Bethel's number one single player Fernando Bocchese had not lost a singles match all season but has been suffering from a severe shoulder problem that forced him to retire from his match after trailing 0-6, 1-2; Ristow took his opponent to the limit losing in tie breakers in both sets 6-7, 6-7; Bichon had been fighting an injury and retired with the score 4-6, 4-4; Hoewell won as his opponent retired but was winning 6-3, 2-0 at the time; Oliveria won 6-3, 6-2.

The Wildcats are 14-1 on the season. They will next be going to Mobile, Ala. for the NAIA National Tournament. The Tournament begins on Monday, May 12, 2008 and Bethel will have to wait and see where they will be seeded for the tournament.