by Enrique Gutiérrez
Staff Writer
After being down 5-3 in the third set, sophomore Jarrod Hesler built a dramatic comeback but fell short in a heartbreaking loss for the University of La Verne men’s tennis squad.
Hesler lost the deciding match against Whittier College and the Leopards saw their second win of the season slipped through their hands with a final score of 4-3 in favor of the Poets.
“It basically came down to the last match, we lost a tight one in three sets,” said head coach Tim Fitzgerald. “I think we’ll beat them in league finals. I know we will.”
“It happens,” said Hesler. “But there’s always another day, another chance.”
La Verne won two of the three doubles matches and seemed to be in good pace of walking away with a positive result; however, Whittier came back to steal the match in the singles competition.
Senior Kirin Asola took care of Andy Sasune in three sets 2-6, 6-2, 6-1.
“It was tougher than I expected, he was like a wall,” sophomore Harold Arellano said of his opponent.
Then on Saturday, La Verne hosted Chapman for a non-conference confrontation.
The Panthers had little problem to get the Leopards their 12th loss of the season, winning 6-1.
“They’re a powerful team,” Fitzgerald said of the Panthers.
It was Hesler who was the only winning Leopard.
Hesler took on Luis Rodriguez. The story line was similar to the day before, but this time Hesler stepped up and improved his personal record to 7-6. Hesler defeated Rodriguez 7-6, 1-6, 6-4.
“I just put it behind me,” Hesler said of the loss. “So I just came out and played my game.”
In the meantime, Tim Anderson, Asola and Arellano were swept by their opponents, all losing 6-0, 6-0. Senior Sebastian Lopez barely avoided the same situation, winning one game in the second set. He lost 6-0, 6-1.
“We pretty much have nothing to lose,” Hesler said. “We just need to do the best we can. Every win we get is an upset.”
La Verne enters the last part of the season with an optimistic attitude.
“The season is not over yet. We still have six matches to go, and we’ll win a few more,” said Fitzgerald.
He added that the team’s goal for the remainder of the season is to “get out of eighth place in SCIAC, which unfortunately is where we are.”
Colorado College visits La Verne today at 2 p.m., and tomorrow La Verne hosts Lewis and Clark at 2 p.m.
