PASADENA (Mar. 9, 2020) – The 23rd-ranked Caltech men's tennis team came together for its first shutout victory of the season against Hardin-Simmons University on Monday afternoon.
The Beavers earned their fifth-consecutive team win and have secured their best start to a season since they last opened to a 6-2 record back in 2004. However, Monday's win did not come without the team having to overcome some adversity. Junior Varun Shanker (Midland, Mich. / Midland Dow) trailed in the first set of his match at first singles, 4-5, and needed to break his opponent back in order to get back on serve. The third-year standout responded by winning the next three games to take the first set 7-5 before winning the second set in routine 6-3 fashion. Earlier in the day, Shanker and doubles partner James Wei (Chappaqua, N.Y. / Horace Greeley) beat the Cowboys' top double team, 8-5. Meanwhile, the Beavers' second pair consisting of sophomore Patryk Kozlowski (Irvine, Calif. / University High) and freshman John Kim (Cupertino, Calif. / Menlo School) won their match 8-6 thanks to timely break late in the set, while senior Connor Soohoo (Redwood Shores, Calif. / Crystal Springs) and sophomore Matthew Gonzalgo (Plantation, Fla. / St. Thomas Aquinas) won at third doubles, 8-5, marking the first time this season the Beavers have swept the doubles portion of a match.
Behind Shanker's come-from-behind first set, Caltech further dominated down the singles lineup. Wei blanked his opponent, 6-0, 6-0, at second singles, and junior Kevin Yu (Mason, Ohio / Cincinnati Country Day) surrendered just three games in another dominant showing (6-2, 6-1). Gonzalgo claimed victory at fourth singles, 6-3, 6-2, while Kozlowski won at the fifth spot 6-0, 6-1 and senior sixth-singles player Miha Valencic (Colleyville, Texas / Grapevine), the Beavers' all-time leader in singles victories, added another win to his mounting total, 6-0, 6-2.
Head Coach Jason Cohen and the Beavers will look to make it six-straight victories when they host Haverford College on Saturday, Mar. 14 at 10 a.m.
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