On the weekend of Sept. 30, members of the Kenyon men’s tennis team showcased their skills at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Central Region Championships, hosted by Kalamazoo College (Mich.).

In doubles play, Paulo Pocasangre Kreling ’26 and Eliezer Gonzalez ’26 made up the first notable duo. They received a first-round bye in the field of 64 doubles teams and then defeated the College of Wooster with a score of 8-4. In the third round, the duo secured an 8-6 victory against a pair from Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.), earning them a spot in the quarterfinals. However, their journey came to an end with an 8-6 loss in the next match against Denison University.

Eric Zhang ’25 and Alejandro Gonzalez ’27 also began with a first-round bye and went on to defeat John Carroll University with a score of 8-4. This was followed by an 8-6 victory against Washington University. Unfortunately, their run ended in the quarterfinals with an 8-3 loss to Case Western Reserve University.

Kenyon’s third doubles team consisted of Rakkan Audeh ’25 and Rishil Kondapaneni ’25. They won their first-round match against opponents from Alma College (Mich.) with a score of 8-3 but were defeated in the second round, also with a score of 8-3, by opponents from the University of Chicago (Ill.).

In the singles category, all five of the Kenyon players advanced to the round of 32 in a field of 128 players. Zhang, Pocasangre Kreling, Audeh and Kondapaneni received first-round byes, won their second-round matches and were eventually defeated in the third round. Alejandro Gonzalez, without a first-round bye, won his first two matches before falling in the subsequent round.

The Owls will start their spring season with a scrimmage against the University of Northwestern Ohio on Jan. 27, 2024.