April 24, 2005

MALIBU, Calif. - The Santa Clara University men's tennis team placed third at the West Coast Conference Championship with a 4-2 victory over No. 72 Portland this afternoon at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center in Malibu. The Broncos' record improves to 14-11. The Pilots see their record move to 18-6.

Senior Francisco Zepponi clinched his team victory for the second time in three days, overcoming a 6-2 loss in the first set against Alex Strom to earn 6-4 wins in the final two sets. Bobby Rasmussen and A.J. Kerin secured victories at the bottom of the line-up to contribute to the Bronco score.

The battle occurred in doubles, where the teams split victories on courts two and three. Santa Clara earned the coveted doubles point when Eric Kochanski and Blane Shields combined to pull out a tiebreaker victory.

Portland earned its two victories at the top two singles positions.

Doubles
1. Kochanski/ Blane Shields (SCU) def. Loucks/Redpath (PORT) 9-8 (6)
2. Jager/Kennel (PORT) def. Bedilion/Zepponi (SCU) 8-6
3. Macek/Rasmussen (SCU) def. Borvanov/Strom (PORT) 8-5

Singles
1. Roman Borvanov (PORT) def. Taylor Bedilion (SCU) 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. Matthew Loucks (PORT) def. Jan Macek (SCU) 6-4, 6-0
3. Eric Kochanski (SCU) vs. James Redpath (PORT) 7-6, 4-6, DNF
4. Francisco Zepponi (SCU) def. Alex Strom (PORT) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
5. Bobby Rasmussen (SCU) def. Colby Jager (PORT) 6-0, 2-6, 6-3
6. A.J. Kerin (SCU) def. Scott Kennel (PORT) 6-0, 6-3