OJAI, Calif.— The Cal Lutheran Kingsmen attended the 119th Ojai Annual Tournament, which was held Friday through Sunday, and had six competitors spread between the Division III West Singles and the Individual College Singles brackets, as well as, five pairs spread throughout the Individual College Doubles and the Division III West Doubles.
Competing in the Division III West Singles was Ransom Braaten, Isaiah Volk, and Yahn Gawrit, who was ranked No. eight going into the matchups. In the Individual College Singles, was Sebastian Ariza, Jake Haffner, and Aaron Moylan, ranked No. four in the bracket.
Moylan found the most success on the courts for the Kingsmen. After receiving a bye during the round of 32, he defeated Westmont's Mark Polowczak in the round of 16, 7-5 and 6-0. Moving on to the quarterfinals, Moylan faced Chapman's Matthew Mead, and won 6-1 and 6-2, solidifying his position in the semifinals. This gave Moylan the opportunity to face Hope Internationals Antoine Voisin, winning 6-2 and 6-0. Mylan made it to the finals but fell to Hope International University's Eason Sun. Moylan won the first set 6-1, fell the second 7-5, and fell the third 6-3.
Ariza also received a bye in the round of 32, automatically moving him onto the round of 16. Ariza won the first set 6-3, fell the second 7-6 (3), and won the third 6-1, moving him on to the quarterfinals. He fell to Hope Internationals Eason Sun, 6-1 and 6-3.
Haffner received a bye in the round of 32 as well and won his match in the round of 16; falling the first set 7-5, winning the second 6-2, and winning the third 6-3. He defeated UC Santa Cruz's Ryan Gee in the quarterfinals, 6-2 and 6-4, moving him onto the semifinals. Haffner fell to Eason Sun 6-4 and 6-4.
Braaten started the tournament with a win against Redlands Brad Cummins, by winning the first set 6-4, falling the second 6-4, but winning the third 6-3. Braaten then fell to Southwesterns Alexis Dimanche, 6-0 and 6-1 in the round of 16.
Gawrit, who was ranked No. eight entering the brackets, defeated Redlands Andrew Leahy 7-5 and 6-2 to move on in the tournament. He then played against Whittier's Pim Van Der Veer and won 6-4 and 6-2, moving him on to the quarterfinals to face Redlands' Chase Lipscomb. The rematch from the season was not in Gawrit's favor, who won the first set 6-1, fell the second 6-3 and fell the third 6-4.
Volk won his first match due to his opponent falling injured, automatically moving him forward in the tournament. Volk then faced Redlands Chase Lipscomb, and fell 6-3 and 6-4.
Moving on to Independent College Doubles matchups, Hitachi Hu and Matthew Quade fell to Westmont, 6-3 and 7-6(4).
Ariza and Michael Sulahian, automatically moved forward due to their opponents refusing to play, and faced Marymount, falling 6-1 and 6-4.
Continuing to Division III West Doubles, Gawrit and Volk faced Chapman, winning 8-3, moving them on to the quarterfinals. They then faced CMS for a rematch from the season and fell 8-7.
Finishing off the tournament for the Kingsmen, Braaten and Haffner faced Redlands and won 8-3. In the quarterfinals, they faced Pomona-Pitzer, and won 8-3, moving them on in the tournament. Braaten and Haffner then faced Occidental, and won 8-5, putting them into the final matchup. In the finals, they faced CMS and fell 6-3 and 7-5.
The Ojai Tournament closes out the 2018-19 season for Cal Lutheran. The Kingsmen finished the season with an overall record of 13-7 and a conference record of 3-4, putting them in fifth place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Results: USTA Ojai 119th Annual Tournament
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Release by Kristen Swanson, Sports Information Student Assistant
