Lopes doubles team wins 3 consecutive tourney matches in conference debut
By: Tyler Killgore
LAS VEGAS – Grand Canyon had a great start to its first Mountain West Tennis Fall Qualifier with a men's doubles team reaching the championship match.
The qualifier is one of the entry points to get into the ITA Conference Masters Championships, which takes place in San Diego next month.
The unseeded Lopes pairing of junior Brice Patoux and sophomore Daniel Jankoski opened their fall season impressively this weekend by taking down pairs from Air Force (8-3), Boise State (8-3) and Nevada (6-3, 6,0) on their way to Monday's final.
Patoux, the Frenchman, and Jankoski, a former top junior college player from Australia, battled in the final on Monday losing 6-4, 6-4 to Boise State's third-seeded duo of juniors Carson Baker and Avery Tallakson.
In singles play, Jankoski and sophomore Andreas Loizas were the two Lopes to advance to the round of 16.
Jankoski defeated Jakub Prachar of New Mexico 7-5, 6-2, and Loizas knocked off Stewart Aronson of Boise State 6-3, 3-6, 7-6.
On the women's side of the bracket, Grand Canyon put together a strong showing in the first round of singles by sweeping their opponents.
The Lopes sent junior Gala Arangio and sophomores Karina Hofbauer and Bella Crossman to battle it out in singles. Arangio handled Chaeyule Kang from Air Force, 7-5, 6-3. Hofbauer dominated Natalie Paterova from Utah State, 6-1, 6-3. Lastly, Crossman advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Stella Morgan of Colorado State.
On the doubles side, Crossman and senior Dani Deaifi had a successful tournament advancing to the quarterfinals. They defeated the Nevada senior duo of Silvia-Marie Costache and Marlene Foerster, 8-6.
The Lopes continue their fall season as the men's team heads to San Diego for the SoCal Intercollegiate Championships starting Thursday, and the women's team heads to Bakersfield for the W35 Bakersfield next week.