Goshen College’s tennis team was back on the courts the past Friday evening to play against Calumet College of Saint Joseph. The Maple Leafs beat the Crimson Waves 8-1, in a game where the Goshen College team took 11 of the 15 sets played.

The men’s tennis team got a 3-0 lead after winning the first three doubles games. Balazs Pirot, a sophomore, and Luis Perez, a sophomore, won 8-3 at No. 1 doubles; Jon Kaasa, a sophomore, and Vasanth Palanisamy, a sophomore, beat 8-3 at No. 2, while Taylor Ermoian, a junior, and Caleb Harnish, a first-year, took the third point in doubles after winning their match 8-2.

After the doubles games, the Maple Leafs kept their lead after the quick victories in straight sets at No. 1, Pirot; No. 2, Perez; and No. 4, Kaasa. They won 6-1, 6-3; 6-2, 6-1; and 6-2, 6-3, respectively.

The other three singles matches were decided in the third set.

Palanisamy lost at No. 3 after a two-hour game that finished with a 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 for the Calumet College of Saint Joseph player Juan Guacneme.

At No. 5 Ermoian came from a set down to get a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory, giving the Maple Leafs their seventh point.

Finally, Siddath Ratnatunga, a first-year, who made his college debut on Friday, got his first victory after an outstanding battle that ended up with a 6-7(1), 7-6(4), 10-6 victory over Calument’s Far Fan.

With a new singles victory, Pirot set a new Maple Leaf record for single season wins at the top singles position. Pirot said he was happy for being back in the courts with the Maple Leafs.

“I think we did a good job according to what we have done lately, was a great ‘pre-game’ for Thursdays match against Indiana Tech,” he said.

“I was happy to be back with the team because we are not just a team, we are friends and we are there for each other in our everyday life,” he said. “This strong relation also benefits us on the court, especially during a match under pressure.”

Pirot has already set some goals for the next fall.

“My goal is to go to nationals both as a team and in singles, after all let’s work and make the best out of it!” Pirot said. “My motivation is that I think next year we will be stronger than ever, and I hope we can prove it with winning conference as a team.”

He said, “I will practice extremely hard over the summer so I can improve my game and my results.”