Senior Day shutout win keeps success rolling

Friday, March 28

Phoenix, Ariz.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Seattle U

Photo by: Jayden Todd

3/28/2025 5:46:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

Injury-riddled GCU defeats Seattle U 4-0 for 6th win in 7 matches

By: Tyler Killgore

The Grand Canyon men's tennis team was victorious on Senior Day with a huge 4-0 home win Friday against Seattle U.

The Lopes moved to 12-4 on the season as they won their final dual match at GCU Tennis Facility to extend their winning streak to three. GCU has won six of its past seven duals.

After commanding wins against Weber State and Cal Poly, the Lopes were able to keep their roll against the Redhawks. It started with a doubles sweep, where freshman Finbar McGarvey and senior Paolo Rosati won 6-0 on Court 3. On Court 1, senior Jonathan Da Silva and sophomore Brice Patoux won 6-2 to clinch the doubles point for a 1-0 lead heading into singles.

GCU rode the momentum for the seniors to dominate their singles matches one last time at home. Da Silva took down Seattle U freshman Yuan Lu 6-1, 6-2. Rosati finished his match behind Da Silva, downing Redhawsk senior Jun Sasagawa 6-3, 6-2. The dominance in singles continued with Patoux, the French native, taking down Seattle U senior Veselin Kiselkov 6-2, 6-3. The matches on Court 1, 5, and 6 were abandoned after the 4-0 win was clinched.

The Senior Day was an emotional yet triumphant day for Da Silva, who spent all four years at GCU. The Frenchman won WAC Freshman of the Year and was All-WAC first-team singles in his first Lopes season, when he won the WAC Tournament championship-clinching match against New Mexico State. Last season, Da Silva went 11-7 in singles and is 7-4 in singles this season.

"It is crazy to see how much the program has grown," Da Silva said. :I am more than proud to be here for four years and show everything I have improved. This has been the best place on Earth."

Rosati, who is from Rome, Italy, is finishing his third Lopes season with a bang, going 5-2 in singles and 6-2 in doubles thus far. He was a Court 6 singles player for last season's run to the WAC Tournament championship match.

Injured player Matteo Lugari was the final Lopes player honored on Senior Day. He won the dual-clinching match in his GCU debut this season, when the Lopes defeated New Mexico State 4-3. He was 4-5 in singles this season.

GCU head coach Derek Siddiqui also mentioned what this group of seniors has meant to him for his three years at the helm with the program showing annual improvement.

"I had to take a step back and realize, 'Wow, I've been with these guys for three years, and even though they were here when I got here, it has been great to see them compete and hopefully we can make a last push here," Siddiqui said.

The Lopes wrap up the regular season by playing at San Diego State on April 3 before heading to San Antonio to take on UTSA on April 12.