Pepperdine University
Pacific
Waves Roll to 4-1 Triumph at Pacific
4/11/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 11, 2014
STOCKTON, Calif. - The #47 Pepperdine men's tennis team won its fifth straight dual with a 4-1 win over Pacific today. The Waves improve to 15-11 and a perfect 7-0 in the West Coast Conference with just two matches left before the conference tournament.
Pepperdine remains tied with #49 San Diego, also undefeated in conference matches, in the league standings. The Waves will conclude their regular season vs. USD (11-7, 5-0 WCCC) next week Wednesday in San Diego.
The Waves will first have to make it past Saint Mary's (8-8, 3-3 WCC), however, on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Moraga, Calif.
Pepperdine notched its first point of the day, winning the doubles contest vs. the Tigers. Rakshay Thakkar (Pune, India/St. Vincent's HS) and David Sofaer (Bellevue Hill, Australia/Sydney Distance Education HS) beat Alex Hamilton and Erik Cederwall at No. 3 before reigning WCC Doubles Team of the Week Francis Alcantara (Cagayan de Oro, Philippines/Fresno State) and Alex Sarkissian (Glendale, Calif./Glendale CC) won their fourth straight at No. 1.
The #9-ranked duo edged Marlon Brand and Daniel Alameh to improve to 17-4 on the year.
The momentum continued to roll in Alcantara and Sarkissian's favor in singles, and both went on to straight-set victories from the top two spots in the lineup.
Thakkar earned an exciting victory in singles over Hamilton. After taking the opening frame in the tiebreaker, the junior out-battled Hamilton by a single break, 6-4, to take the win.
Pacific avoided the sweep courtesy of Alameh's 6-2, 7-5 win over Stefan Menichella (Santa Barbara, Calif./University HS)
Pepperdine vs Pacific
Apr 11, 2014 at Stockton, Calif.
(Hal Nelson Tennis Courts)
#47 Pepperdine 4, Pacific 1
Singles
1. #27 Alex Sarkissian (PEP) def. Sem Verbeek (PAC) 6-1, 6-2
2. Francis Alcantara (PEP) def. Denis Stolyarov (PAC) 6-3, 6-4
3. Miguel Diaz (PAC) vs. David Sofaer (PEP) 7-5, 3-6, unfinished
4. Daniel Alameh (PAC) def. Stefan Menichella (PEP) 6-2, 7-5
5. Rakshay Thakkar (PEP) def. Alex Hamilton (PAC) 7-6 (7-4), 6-4
6. Erik Cederwall (PAC) vs. Pedro Leme (PEP) 5-7, 6-2, 2-4, unfinished
Doubles
1. #9 Francis Alcantara/Alex Sarkissian (PEP) def. Marlon Brand/Daniel Alameh (PAC) 8-6
2. Sem Verbeek/Denis Stolyarov (PAC) vs. Pedro Leme/Tom Hill (PEP) 7-4, unfinished
3. David Sofaer/Rakshay Thakkar (PEP) def. Alex Hamilton/Erik Cederwall (PAC) 8-4
Match Notes:
Pepperdine 15-11, 7-0 WCC; National ranking #47
Pacific 10-10, 3-4 WCC
Players Mentioned
