Youth gains experience in Lopes' sweep

Friday, January 24

Phoenix, Ariz.

10 a.m.

Grand Canyon

Western New Mexico

Photo by: Jayden Todd

1/24/2025 4:00:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

Freshmen duo of Macababbad, McGarvey gets 1st collegiate victories

By: Braden Dohrmann

Grand Canyon moved to 3-0 Friday morning with a 7-0 sweep of Western New Mexico at GCU Tennis Facility.

With Court 1 and 2 sophomores Nikita Volonski and Brice Patoux resting, the Lopes secured their third win with contributions from new players.

GCU freshmen Diordan Macababbad and Finbar McGarvey made their first collegiate starts in singles, where McGarvey was making his first collegiate appearance of any sort Friday. Both notched their first career singles and doubles victories.

"It was great to get those guys' feet wet," Lopes head coach Derek Siddiqui. "It was great experience to feel the heat of the battle and the tension that comes with a college match, I thought they played great."

The doubles point went quickly in GCU's direction with 6-0 sweeps on Courts 1 and 2. Macababbad and fellow freshman Andreas Loizas won Court 1, while Lopes seniors Jonathan Da Silva and Paolo Rosati did the same on Court 2.

In singles, five of the six matches went to GCU in straight sets. Courts 1, 2 and 3 finished in order with graduate Matteo Lugari beating the Mustangs' Javier Romero 6-4, 6-0. Next, Loizas took Court 2 with a 6-2, 6-4 match over Western New Mexico's Alexandre Frigout. Court 3 went to Rosati, giving the Lopes the team match win before the final courts wrapped up.

Freshman Finbar McGarvey and Macababbad grabbed their first singles victories of their collegiate careers on Courts 4 and 5, respectively.

Western New Mexico's Brik Arwedahl was the lone Mustang to force a third set. Da Silva easily downed him in the first set 6-0 before dropping a 6-1 second set. With a mental reset in the final set, Da Silva captured the dual's seventh point for the Lopes in a 6-2 victory.

"Jonny just needed to reset and refocus," Siddiqui said. "Once he put his foot down and decided to go win, he was fine. We'll keep working through things, but mostly excited for our first road test next weekend."

Grand Canyon will head to California for two matches next weekend. The Lopes will face UC Davis on Feb. 1 and take on Santa Clara on Feb. 2.