By Jacob Norling
March 12, 2024
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Men's Tennis won the doubles point against the Bucknell Bison on Monday, but could not carry the momentum into singles in an eventual 5-2 loss. Westmont could muster only one win before the Bison clinched the match, matching the final moments of Monday's match a moot point.
 
In doubles, Westmont gathered wins on line one and two, where Ethan Ha and Austin Stone, and Logan Thompson and Owen Vander Ark won their matches.
 
In singles, however, Amar Tahirovic quickly dispatched Stone on one (6-2, 6-2), and Adam Starvrakas outlasted Thompson on two (7-5, 6-3). Oscar Bain Moreno de Vega defeated Ha on three (6-2, 6-3), which preceded Westmont's lone win on four. On four, Goor Adiv won a competitive three setter over Brendan McDonald 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
 
To clinch the match, Liam Kilmer defeated Owen Vander Ark on five (6-4, 6-4), and for the cherry on top, Tim Zelikovsky defeated Hastings on six (6-2. 6-1).
 
"Bucknell is a Division I school and I thought we held our own today," said Westmont head coach Chris Elwood. "That was a real positive for us to get better as a team as we go through the second half of our season. This was a step forward.
 
"We had a great response today in doubles against a highly-talented Bucknell squad. Aside from doubles, the highlight of the day was Goor winning that match on four. When you look around, you can also see that Logan was in set one, with two breaks, and Owen had a couple really close sets as well.
 
"We were in several matches, but those are three that could have given us the 'W'. Losing 5-2 to a Division I team with how we were in it, I think it was a really positive step forward. I think we'll be happy to take this one forward into a really tough week after spring break."