WMVO Good Times Great Oldies
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Following a fantastic weekend both individually and for the Kenyon College men’s tennis team as a whole, Paulo Pocasangre Kreling was picked as the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Athlete of the Week. The junior locked down the top spot in Kenyon’s lineup and helped lead the Owls to three big wins over the span of about 24 hours over the weekend.
Pocasangre Kreling and the Owls had three tough tests over a trip up north, and Kenyon passed with flying colors. No. 17-ranked Kenyon came away with two wins over ranked opponents and added another against a team that was ranked before the weekend. The Owls swept No. 21-ranked Washington and Lee University 4-0, pulled off a hard-fought, 4-3 upset over No. 10-ranked Washington University in St. Louis, and extended the winning streak with a 4-0 victory over a Hobart College team ranked No. 37 before the rankings updated over the week.
Now a two-time NCAC Athlete of the Week honoree, Pocasangre Kreling was a driving force for the Owls, going undefeated over the three duals. The junior was 3-0 in the No. 1 doubles spot and 2-0 in the top singles flight. With the help of Pocasangre Kreling, Kenyon won the doubles point in all three duals. He paired with his usual running mate, Alejandro Gonzalez, for wins against Washington and Lee and WashU before lining up with Gianluca Bocanegra to handle Hobart.
In singles, Pocasangre Kreling’s two wins ran his singles winning streak to a whopping 14 straight. In fact, he is undefeated in dual play this spring, going 13-0 at No. 1 and adding a win at No. 2. This weekend, Pocasangre Kreling picked up a crucial victory in Kenyon’s win over the No. 10-ranked Bears, beating the nation’s No. 33-ranked singles player 6-2, 7-6 (7-2). The next morning against the Statesmen, Kenyon’s No. 1 cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win in the top flight.
Pocasangre Kreling and Kenyon will look to maintain momentum after a well-deserved weekend off. The Owls will return to action on April 11, heading into the heart of NCAC play and hosting their first duals in nearly two months after 13 straight on the road.