LA MIRADA, Calif. --- After two hard-fought matches resulting in losing efforts, Biola Men's Tennis gets to celebrate sweet success with its first win of the year as it blanks Occidental on Saturday afternoon.
 
Biola got off to a fantastic start to the afternoon by winning all three doubles matches convincingly at the Biola Tennis Center. Biola won by margins of at least seven games at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles as Phil Westwood, Joe Turnquist, Michael Vartuli and David Garcia made quick work of their opponents.
 
"Today was a great team win. Everyone came out focused and ready to compete," said Head Coach Brent Worthington. "From start to finish in both singles and doubles the whole team played consistent and smart tennis."
 
Building on the confidence gained with three doubles victories Biola came out and fought through some mentally challenging singles matches.
 
Vartuli and Turnquist each put in some gutsy performances in their singles matches at No. 5 and No. 4. Vartuli came from behind in a 7-5 victory in his first set before taking the match in straight sets. Turnquist also got a 7-5 victory in set one, but he dropped set two and had to win a 10-point tiebreaker to take his match.
 
"Some matches had their ups and downs but everyone finished well and found a way to win," said Worthington. "It was a good day and nice to get on the winning side of things this season."
 
Garcia had the quickest singles match when he won 6-0; 6-0 at No. 6 against Carlos Flores. Lucas Lee also had a decisive win at No. 2 where he went 6-1 in straight sets to earn his first individual win of the 2016 season. Turnquist, Vartuli and Westwood's wins were also their first individual singles wins of the new year.
 
The win moves Worthington's team to 1-2 on the season and drops Occidental to 0-3 overall. Biola is back in Golden State Athletic Conference action on Tuesday with a 2:00 p.m. road match against Hope International.