AZUSA, Calif. -- Barry University's No. 1-ranked men's tennis team drew No. 11 Azusa Pacific's best effort Wednesday before settling for a 5-4 win to start this Southern California road trip.
The Buccaneers remained unbeaten at 10-0, but it didn't come without a battle from the Cougars, playing inspired on their home courts.
Barry's No. 1 doubles team of Fabian Groetsch and Ahmed Triki, the 14th-ranked team in the country, struggled in another match, losing to unranked Pascal Engle and Jan Meyer, 8-6. But the Bucs Nos. 2-3 pairs flights picked up the slack, winning both of their matches to take a 2-1 lead entering singles play. Ollie Lemaitre and Renato Lombardi made quick work of Tomas Aranguiz and Alan Leahy, 8-1, at No. 3. Leo Vivas and Romain Costamagna got a test from Frederik Wilkens and Gary Yam at No. 2 before holding on 8-5.
In singles play, APU's No. 7-ranked Jan Meyer defeated Triki in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, at the No. 1 flight. Wilkens upset 12th-ranked Groetsch, 6-2, 2-6, 10-7, in a No. 2 singles grudge match.
Barry's 37th-ranked Vivas was a 6-2, 6-0 winner over Yam at No. 4, and Costamagna posted a 6-1, 6-3 win over Leahy at No. 3. Lemaitre lost to Aranguiz, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, at No. 5. But Lombardi put together an impressive 6-1, 6-2 win over Engle at No. 6 to help the Bucs secure the match.
Barry plays at No. 10 Fresno Pacific at 1 p.m. EST Thursday.