Wildcats News
Wed, May 14, 2008 - [Men's Tennis]
MCKENZIE, Tenn. (May 13, 2008) – The #11 ranked Bethel men's tennis fought all the way to the end, but could not pull out a victory against the #5 California Baptist University Lancers, losing 5-3.
 

The Wildcats lost at No. 1 doubles, 8-1, and barely lost 9-7 at No. 2 doubles. Number three's Fernando Ristow and Andres Mejia won the lone doubles match for the Wildcats 8-1 allowing CBU to take a 2-1 lead heading into singles' play. CBU opened up what seemed at the time like an insurmountable 4-1 lead after winning two singles matches at No.1 and No.5.

As the intensity of the match picked up, the California Baptist's composure began to waver. Over the course of the four remaining matches, the Lancers were assessed a quartet of point penalties. That enabled the Wildcats, who were hit with a pair of point penalties of their own, to get back in the match.

Gustavo Howell defeated Moti Eisikovits (6-4, 7-5) at No. 4, and Fernando Ristow downed Carlos Cirne-Lima (6-4, 7-5) at No. 2 to get the Wildcats within 4-3. As Cirne-Lima dropped match-point, he was given a point penalty. Since his match was completed, that penalty was then assessed to CBU's Patrick Olobo at No. 3, who was in a dog-fight of his own as the remaining two courts-No. 3 (Mejia/Olobo) and No. 6 (Augusto Velez/Dal-Ri) were both headed to a third set.

Cal-Baptist needed just one win on the final two courts, while the Wildcats needed to win both. Unfortunately, CBU was able to regroup as Olobo and Andres Mejia were tied 4-4 in their third set when Dal-Ri, who in the first set was down 5-1 and came all the way back only to lose 7-5, staged a comeback to down Augusto Velez (5-7, 6-4, 6-2) to clinch the win for the Lancers.

Bethel's season come to a close with a 15-2 record and a #11 national ranking.