FRIARS DROP GECKOS TO STAY UNBEATEN

By Robert Balajadia

The FD Friars continued their tennis takeover Thursday afternoon by defeating the GW Geckos 32-10 at the Tiyan courts to stay undefeated as a team (8-0) as the 2015 season nears its end. The Geckos fall to (3-4) with the loss.

Leading the way for FD were the two young National Team stars in Joshua Cepeda and Brian Tuncap Jr, who won their matches (8-1) over Geckos Tatsuya Cepeda and Kyle San Nicolas in the singles matches.

Tuncap Jr. has yet to lose a match all season while Cepeda has only lost two matches in the Friars still unblemished record.

The FD Friars picked up wins in each of the games against the Geckos. (left to right: Tyler Talai, Josh Cepeda, Brian Tuncap Jr., Caleb Escalera, and CJ Hattori.) (Not shown is Edward Chung.)

The doubles matches proved close as GW’s Daniel Quitugua and Kyler Diego managed to grab five games from the Friar tag-team of Caleb Escalera and CJ Hattori. The Geckos duo won back-to-back sets to get within 7-5 before the Friars closed out the final 13th set to win the match (8-5).

Friars Edward Chung and Tyler Talai dominated majority of their match against Geckos Dwight Sablan and Nathaniel Santos, but the Gecko tandem still managed to get three sets in the (8-3) final.

The Friars are now aiming to finish the season with an unbeaten team record as they face the JFK Islanders next Tuesday, along with the announcement of the All-Island selections.

PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Geckos Kyle San Nicolas gets focused after trying to come back against FD Friars Brian Tuncap Jr. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

GW Geckos Daniel Quitugua returns a serve in his doubles match. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

FD Friars Caleb Escalera digs to save an outside ball. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

FD Friars Tyler Talai goes high to get the ball back to the GW Geckos. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

FD Friars Edward Chung gets a clean serve off in his doubles match. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

Geckos Kyler Diego uses two hands to to return the ball in the doubles match. (photo by Robert Balajadia)