KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- Facing its seventh regionally-ranked opponent this season, the Kutztown University men's tennis team dropped its last match of 2018-19, 4-0, to West Liberty on Saturday afternoon at the Keystone Courts.

Despite a victory from Nolan Perugini (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) and Renato Santos (Seixal, Portugal/Fernão Mendes Pinto) at first doubles, and some strong play at the top of its singles lineup, the Golden Bears were unable to secure a point against the Hilltoppers, ranked ninth in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Atlantic Region Rankings.

Perugini and Santos won for the seventh time in 10 tries, 6-3, over Camilo Moncayo and Joris Gravoulet, but West Liberty prevailed at second and third doubles. Anton Schulz and Maurits Smit doubled up Josh Carl (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) and Benjamin Kelly (Medina, Ohio/Highland), 6-3, at No. 2, while Akira Kawabata and Nash Morris edged Logan Kemp (Hanover, Pa./South Western) and Eric Gibson (Birdsboro, Pa./Twin Valley), 6-4, at No. 3.

West Liberty (10-9) quickly clinched the match with wins at fourth, fifth and sixth singles. The match was called once the Hilltoppers secured the four points necessary to win so they could head north to Bloomsburg to compete in their regularly scheduled Saturday match at 5 p.m.

Kelly forced a super tiebreaker set against Smit at No. 4, but came up just short 6-1, 4-6, 10-5.

The premature halting of the match was a downer for Kutztown's (1-15) top three of Perugini, Santos and Carl, who were all locked in highly-competitive matches.

Perugini led regionally-ranked No. 16 Moncayo 4-6, 6-4, 5-3, while Santos had set point to even his match with Gravoulet. Carl was also a point away from tying Schulz at a set apiece in a tiebreaker 2-6, 6-6 (6-5) when play concluded.

Saturday marked the final college match in the careers of KU seniors Gibson and Perugini. Perugini won a combined 20 matches this year and was a team-best 12-7 in doubles play. He and Santos shared the team-lead with eight singles wins. The Reading native finished with a 17-13 singles record and 21-11 doubles mark during his two-year run with KU. Gibson completed his first season with the Maroon and Gold in 2018-19. 
 

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West Liberty 4, Kutztown 0
April 27, 2019 at Kutztown, Pa. (Keystone Courts)
 

Singles

1. Nolan Perugini (KUTZ) vs. Camilo Moncayo (WLU) 4-6, 6-4, 5-3, unfinished

2. Renato Santos (KUTZ) vs. Joris Gravoulet (WLU) 4-6, 6-5, unfinished

3. Josh Carl (KUTZ) vs. Anton Schulz (WLU) 2-6, 6-6 (6-5), unfinished

4. Maurits Smit (WLU) def. Benjamin Kelly (KUTZ) 6-1, 4-6, 10-5

5. Akira Kawabata (WLU) def. Logan Kemp (KUTZ) 6-0, 6-0

6. Nash Morris (WLU) def. Eric Gibson (KUTZ) 6-1, 6-2

Doubles

1. Nolan Perugini/Renato Santos (KUTZ) def. Camilo Moncayo/Joris Gravoulet (WLU) 6-3

2. Anton Schulz/Maurits Smit (WLU) def. Josh Carl/Benjamin Kelly (KUTZ) 6-3

3. Akira Kawabata/Nash Morris (WLU) def. Logan Kemp/Eric Gibson (KUTZ) 6-4

Match Notes

West Liberty 10-9; Regional ranking #9

Kutztown 1-15

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (5,6,4)

West Liberty No. 9 in ITA Atlantic Region Rankings

Official: None T-2:00 A-25