Tennis teams top Johnson in Lascari's debut

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Abraham Lascari started his tenure as Union tennis coach in grand style, as the 13th-ranked Bulldog men won 7-0, with the 16th-ranked women winning 5-2 in a season-opening match against Johnson Wednesday afternoon.

This marks the third consecutive year both Bulldog tennis teams were victorious in their season openers.

MEN

Things went very smoothly on the men's side, as the Bulldogs didn't drop a single set. The day began with great success in doubles as the No. 1 team of Santiago Diaz and Sebastiano Zorzi (6-1), No. 2 team Harry Jordan and Niccolo Chiriatti (6-0) and No. 3 team Henning Ebersohn and Emiliano Arjona (6-2) combined to lose just three games.

It was more of the same in singles, as no Bulldog dropped more than three games en route to six straight-set wins. Ebersoha was particularly dominant, topping Jacob Keeling 6-0, 6-0 at No. 4 singles, while Arjona dropped just one game against Gerett Benjamin at No. 5.

Elsewhere, Zorzi and Chiriatti earned 6-1, 6-1 wins at No. 1 and 3 respectively, Jordan won 6-0, 6-2 at No. 2 and Shubin Sethia won 6-2, 6-3 at No. 6.

WOMEN

Though the final score may not have indicated it, the Bulldog women were equally dominant, with their losses coming via forfeits at No. 5 and 6 singles and No. 3 doubles.

Teams Rin Igarashi and Karen Kondo (No. 1) and Liliana Drukerova and Mai Kitashita (No. 2), both won 6-0 to secure the double's point, while Wednesday's active singles competitors dropped just four combined games.

Neither Drukerova or Kondo dropped a game at No. 2 and 3 singles, while Kitashita dropped just one at No. 4. At No. 1, Igarashi defeated Paola Testa 6-0 in the opening set then got a bit of a challenge in the second, but still earned a comfortable 6-3 win.

NEXT UP FOR THE BULLDOGS

Union has a quick turnaround, as it will travel to Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) for a non-conference match at 6 p.m. Thursday.