PASADENA, Calif. – The Caltech men's tennis team defended its No. 34 Division III national ranking with its fourth win of the season Saturday afternoon, defeating the Colorado College Tigers by a 5-2 score.

The Beavers got to work quickly with their first sweep of the Doubles session this year. On Court 1, sophomore Eric He (Martinsville, N.J. / Bridgewater Raritan) and junior Andrew Zabelo (Florham Park, N.J. / Newark Academy) struck first with a commanding 6-2 set, followed closely on the adjacent Court 2 by the undefeated duo of sophomores Constantin Cedillo-Vayson de Pradenne (Paris / Lycée Jean de La Fontaine) and Tejas Ram (Allen, Texas / Allen) with an identical set score to clinch the doubles point for Caltech.

The #3 doubles partnership of rookie Kenneth Chan (Hinsdale, Ill. / Pine Crest) and senior Bharathan Sundar (Southborough, Mass. / Algonquin Regional) completed the doubles sweep with a 6-4 set win to send the Beavers into the break with all the momentum.

The Tigers replied with a win in sixth singles to tie the match up at 1-1, but He pushed the Beavers ahead again with a 6-2, 6-1 win in fifth singles, his third singles win of the season. Zabelo followed in second singles with a 6-3, 6-0 victory to make it a 3-1 Caltech lead.

Ram clinched the dual match victory for the Beavers, winning his opening set 6-2 and outlasting his rival in a second-set tiebreak, 7-6 (7-5).

Cedillo-Vayson de Pradenne grabbed another match point for Caltech in the top singles matchup in straight sets, winning 6-2 and 7-5.

"I'm really proud of these guys; I thought this was our best match of the year and that is all credit to their work ethic," said Head Coach Adam Clark. "So happy for them to see the hard work pay off! Awesome to get a true sweep of the doubles too, and to be able to battle back when Colorado College made things tight in singles. These guys keep building and I am so excited for what's to come."

Clark and the Beavers will be back in action on Thursday, March 20 at 10 a.m. against Whitman College.