The University of Arizona Men’s Tennis team played their last home matches of the season this weekend and also congratulated a pair of seniors playing in front of Wildcat fans for the last time.
To start the weekend off, the team took on Washington on Friday afternoon in a close match that came down to the wire. In doubles, the senior pairing of Oliver Plaskett and Will Kneale, competing at home for the last time in their collegiate careers, defeated junior Jake Douglas and sophomore Piers Foley, 6-3. Then, after a loss from the pairing of junior Shoti Meparidze and freshman Andres Reyes to UW senior Wendell Watanabe and freshman Amit Batta, Wildcat juniors Shoki Kasahara and Trent Botha beat sophomores Kawika Lam and Enzo Sommer to the give the UA the doubles point.
In singles, Batta defeated Plaskett 7-5, 6-3. Kasahara beat Hakak (6-4, 6-3), putting Arizona up by one, right before Washington junior Mitch Stewart defeated Meparidze (7-5, 6-3), evening up the score. Once again, the Cats took the lead when Kneale beat Sommer (7-5, 6-4), but the Huskies evened it up when Foley beat Reyes 6-3, 6-4. In the final match of the day, Douglas defeated Botha, (7-6, 6-3), giving Washington the win in dramatic fashion.
Before the match against Oregon started on Sunday morning, the team had a nice ceremony for the aforementioned seniors Oliver Plaskett and Will Kneale, recognizing them for their outstanding play and sportsmanship as members of the team.
Shortly after, the match got underway. In doubles, the UA junior pairing of Trent Botha and Shoki Kasahara fell to Oregon sophomore Thomas Laurent and junior Cormac Clissold (6-3), before Kneale and Plaskett were beaten by Oregon senior Jayson Amos and freshman Ty Gentry, securing the doubles point for the Ducks.
To start off singles, Plaskett won his last home match against Clissold, 6-3, 6-4. Then, Amos beat Kasahara (7-5, 6-3), putting the Ducks up one point. Shortly after, Oregon’s Thomas defeated Meparidze (6-4, 6-3), before Oregon junior Simon Stevens defeated Kneale (7-5, 6-3), to give Oregon the win, 4-1.
Next up for the Wildcats is a weekend in Southern California, taking on USC Friday before a Sunday match against the UCLA Bruins.
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