PLANO, Tex. - The Iowa Central men's tennis team had a near-flawless opening round here Monday at the NJCAA Div. I Championships.

The Tritons went 7-2 among the nine singles and doubles matches, scoring 14 points to sit in a tie for second with Barton, Harford and Mesa. Jacksonville is the leader with 16 points.

In singles action, Merlin Bolema, Juan Gomez, Nicholas Espinoza, Theo Devals and Juan Navarrete all claimed wins in singles draws with the pairs of Espinoza/Navarrete and Bolema/Devals picking up doubles victories.

"We played some high-level tennis all day," Iowa Central head coach Jerry Thor said. "Everybody really came out strong and dictated their matches. I'm excited to see what we can do moving forward as the competition gets better with each round."

Bolema, in the No. 1 singles bracket, swept Miguel Gamborino of Jacksonville, 6-3, 6-0. Gomez, playing No. 2, earned a clean sweep over Cameron Garrett of Meridian, 6-0, 6-0.

Nicholas Espinoza picked up a 6-2, 6-1 triumph vs. Jones County's Daniel Panzica at No. 3, Theo Devals dominated John Clyde Ready from Copiah-Lincoln, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 5 and Juan Navarette downed Daniel Mahoney from USC-Sumter in the No. 6 bracket, 7-5, 6-3.

In doubles, Espinoza and Navarette topped Garrett and Colin Hartman of Meridian at No. 2, 6-1, 6-2, with Bolema and Devals finishing Torean King and Russell Moorman from Itawamba at No. 3, 6-2, 6-1.

The only setbacks the Tritons suffered on the day came at the No. 4 singles spot where Nico Zumba fell to Clay Fudge of Mississippi Gulf Coast, 6-2, 6-4, and the No. 1 doubles team of Gomez and Zumba lost in a heartbreaker in three sets, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (5-7), 6-3. 

-By Dana Becker