LINDSBORG, Kan. – The Bethel men's tennis team made a statement at the KCAC Fall Individual Championships, held Sept. 18-19, with singles champions across three flights and a doubles title to boot.

Singles

Jorge Batista turned in a perfect weekend at #1 singles, rolling past Avila's Axel Scott 8-4, edging McPherson's Balazs Temesvari 8-5, and closing out the flight with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Friends' Cristobal Fuentes to claim the title.

Billy Haoda matched him stroke for stroke at #2 singles, going unbeaten with wins over Sterling's Jorge Garcia (9-7), Oklahoma Wesleyan's Yassine Azehaf (8-3) and University of Saint Mary's Enrico Belardo (6-4, 6-1).

Zaidh Zihar completed the sweep of the top three flights, taking down Sterling's Raul Barba 8-0, outlasting Oklahoma Wesleyan's Raphael Alvado 9-7, and finishing with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Bethany's Gustavo Cardoso.

Further down the lineup, Lukas Kulich went 2-1 at #4 singles, opening with an 8-4 win over Sterling's Phil Fleischer before falling 8-1 to McPherson's Hamish Wyatt, then bouncing back to beat University of Saint Mary's Vaughn Smith 8-5.

Adam Tomka also finished 2-1 at #5 singles, cruising past Sterling's Camilo Hoguet 8-0 and Bethany's Santiago Stipanov 8-1 before dropping a 6-2, 6-4 decision to McPherson's David Cunha.

At #6 singles, Moses Sawatzky opened with an 8-4 win over Tabor's Rafael Cristovam but couldn't keep the momentum going, falling to McPherson's Davian Spies (8-4) and Friends' Henry Walker (8-4).

Doubles

The Threshers' depth showed in doubles play as well. Haoda and Batista teamed up for a flawless run at #1 doubles, defeating Sterling's Fernando Vargas/Phil Fleischer 8-5, Bethany's Sebastian Stipanov/Gustavo Cardoso 8-1, and edging Friends' Cristobal Fuentes/Gabriel Gomes 9-8 (5) in a tiebreaker for the title.

Zihar and Tomka went 2-1 at #2 doubles, beating Sterling's Pedro Felipoff/Robin Baransi 8-4 and McPherson's David Cunha/Hamish Wyatt 8-1, with their only blemish a tight 9-8 (2) loss to Oklahoma Wesleyan's Helori Peron/Raphael Alvado.

Sawatzky and Kulich also finished 2-1 at #3 doubles, opening with wins over Friends' Matheus Albieri/Trey Lacy (9-7) and Tabor's Joao Franchi/Rafael Cristovam (8-4) before falling 9-8 (3) to Bethany's Diego Bsereni/Santiago Stipanov.

Bethel claimed titles at three of six singles flights and one of three doubles flights, with Batista, Haoda and Zihar all going undefeated in singles play — a strong showing heading into the fall stretch.

The Threshers will be back in action September 25-28 for the ITA Regional held in Salina, Kan.