Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (Oct. 1, 2023) - Competing in their final event of the fall season, the North Central College men's tennis team, led by Ramon Vilarroig Martinez and Guillermo Gonzalez Fernandez who made a run to the quarterfinals in doubles competition, participated in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Central Region Championship this weekend.

After receiving a bye, the No. 5 seeded Vilarroig Martinez/Gonzalez Fernandez cruised to an 8-1 win over their DePauw University counterparts in the round of 32. Advancing to the round of 16, the Cardinal duo battled to an 8-7 victory over their Augustana College opponents. Running into the No. 1 seed in the tournament, Vilarroig Martinez/Gonzalez Fernandez fell to Derek Hsieh/Andrei Leonov from the University of Chicago to end their tournament run.

Matthew Sengphommachanh and Wyatt Crowell defeated Hudson Mosher and Teagen Crow (DePauw), 8-1 before falling into the No. 9 seed from UChicago to conclude their doubles competition. 

After losing to their Wabash College competition, Justin Penados and Rafael Lessa rolled to an 8-1 win over Austin Becksvoort and Justin Fay from Hope College to conclude their tournament.

In singles play, Vilarroig Martinez picked up a hard fought 5-7, 6-4, 10-2 win over Joey Keal of Hanover College. Taking on Arthur Hermange from Augustana in the round of 64, Vilarroig Martinez rolled to a 6-1, 6-4 win before facing the No. 9 seeded Emil Grantcharov (UChicago) to end the event with a 6-3, 6-1 defeat.

Following a 6-1, 6-0 rout of Kobe Francis (Ohio Wesleyan University) Penados gave his best effort to No. 17 Eric Zhang (Kenyon College) but ultimately fell 6-2, 5-7, 10-4. Lessa picked up a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Lucas Preston from the host, Kalamazoo College before falling 6-2, 6-1 to the No. 4 seeded Michael Sutanto (Case Western Reserve University).

No. 17 seeded Sengphommachanh fell in his round of 64 match to Alejandro Honzalez from Kenyon to conclude his event.

North Central will take on UChicago, who ended last season ranked No. 12 in the nation, on February 2nd at 6 p.m. inside XS Tennis in Chicago.

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