Hoffman, Mulenga, win consolation flight finals at NJCAA men's tennis
Tyler, Texas – Mesa players won two consolation flights at the NJCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship Thursday.
The additional points improved MCC to 16th place with 13 points at the completion of the T-Birds' participation. That could change when championship flight finals are played Friday.
Andrew Hoffman won at No. 4 singles with a 9-8 (4) squeaker over Will McCullough, of Meridian, and Duncan Mulenga took the title at No. 5, beating Jackson Peoples, of Jones, 9-7.
Two others reached consolation finals but fell. Lukas Baruffi played in the No. 6 singles final and the No. 2 doubles team of Harry Browning and Arturo Socias Salvo also lost.
"So proud of this team and how we battled for every point," glowed head coach Feroz Rast.
"Going into today we still had six flights in it and we almost pulled out all the wins. Freshman Duncan Mulenga and Andrew Hoffman each won two singles to claim the backdraw title for their flights. Lukas Baruffi won his semi-final match easily but lost in the final to Collin College.
"In doubles Beto and Cameron fought hard but lost to Eastern Florida and Andrew and Duncan also lost their doubles to Eastern Florida. Harry Browning and Arturo Socias Salvo also won their first match in doubles against Meridian College but lost a heart breaker 9-7 to Pratt College to finish the tournament for the T-Birds. We finished 16th in the country with 13 points in the tournament."
Results for all MCC players.
Singles
No. 4 – Consolation – Andrew Hoffman (MCC) d. Sebastian Soto (NMMI), 8-0
Consolation – Andrew Hoffman (MCC) d. Will McCullough (Meridian), 9-8 (4)
No. 5 – Consolation – (7) Duncan Mulenga (MCC) d. Parker Lyons (Meridian), 8-1
Consolation – (7) Duncan Mulenga (MCC) d. Jackson Peoples (Jones), 9-7
No. 6 – Consolation – Lukas Baruffi (MCC) d. Daniel Shelton (Jacksonville), 8-1
Consolation – Lukas Baruffi (MCC) lost to Edward Stheyn (Collin), 8-1
Doubles
No. 1 – Consolation – Beto Carlon-Cameron Khan (MCC) lost t Lucas Gonzalez-George Myers-Millington (Eastern Fla. St.), 8-2
No. 2 – Consolation - Harry Browning-Arturo Socias Salvo (MCC) d. Colin Hartman-Will McCullough (Meridian), 8-3
Consolation – Harry Browning-Arturo Socias Salvo (MCC) lost t Vitor Goncalves-Oleksander Makarov (Pratt), 9-7
No. - 3 – Consolation – Andrew Hoffman-Duncan Mulenga (MCC) lost to. (4) Jaewoo Choi- Eric Porcar (Eastern Fla. St.), 8-3
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