The College of Lake County men's tennis team turned in an impressive performance at the Region 4 Tournament this past weekend, finishing second overall with 16.5 points and securing a berth in the NJCAA National Tournament. The Lancers will compete May 11–15 in Plano, Texas.
CLC set the tone early in singles competition, sweeping the first round with dominant performances across all six flights. Marshawn Gallego (#1), Anthony Shultis (#2), Nathan Popov (#3), Seth Lampkin (#4), Chris Donkor (#5), and Vinny Marino (#6) all advanced in straight sets, showcasing the depth and balance of the Lancer lineup.
The momentum continued into the second round, where four Lancers advanced to their respective championship matches. Nathan Popov and Marshawn Gallego each rebounded to secure third-place finishes in their flights, adding valuable team points in tightly contested brackets. In the finals, CLC faced a strong Prairie State squad, finishing runner-up in multiple singles positions.
Doubles play further highlighted the Lancers' competitive edge. The #1 team of Gallego and Lampkin battled through a three-set semifinal to reach the finals, while the #2 duo of Shultis and Donkor advanced convincingly to the championship match. The #3 pair of Popov and Pablo Galan responded with a strong third-place finish, rounding out a complete team effort across all flights.
Capping the weekend, head coach Betsy Poggensee was named Region 4 Coach of the Year, a testament to her leadership and the program's continued rise.
With the runner-up finish, the Lancers now shift their focus to the national stage, where they will look to build on their regional success and compete against the top programs in the country.
Day 1 - Singles
1st Round
# 6 Singles Vinny Marino def. Will Greco (COD) 6-1, 6-0
#5 Singles Chris Donkor def. Montana Walker (Oakton) 6-1, 6-0
#4 Singles Seth Lampkin def. Alex Cook (COD) 6-0, 6-0
#3 Singles Nathan Popov def. Isaiah Matin (MATC) 6-3, 6-4
#2 Singles Anthony Shultis def. Pedro Fernadez (Oakton) 6-2, 6-2
#1 Singles Marshawn Gallego def. Zack Johnson (MVCC) 6-1, 6-3
2nd Round.
#6 Singles Vinny Marino def. Zach DeMarco (MVCC) 6-1, 6-1
#5 Singles Chris Donkor def. Alex Espinosa (Elgin) 6-1, 6-2
#4 Singles Seth Lampkin def. A Sigmentes (IVCC) 6-1, 6-2
#3 Singles Fabio Barron (IVCC) def. Nathan Popov 6-4, 5-7, 10-7
#2 Singles Anthony Shultis def. Nick Olivero (IVCC) 6-1,6-2
#1 Singles T.D. Hillard (Oakton) def. Marshawn Gallego 7-6, 1-6, 12-10
Finals
#6 Singles Jonathan Hii (Prairie State) def. Vinny Marino 6-2, 6-0
#5 Singles Ferguson Larkin (Prairie State) def. Chris Donkor 7-6, 6-1
#4 Singles Ben Lawrie (Prairie State) def. Seth Lampkin 6-3, 6-0
#2 Singles Tendai Chihowa (Prairie State) def. Anthong Shultis 6-1, 6-0
3rd Place
#3 Singles Nathan Popov def Zack Vazquez (MCC) 8-3
#1 Singles Marshawn Gallego def. Nate Neufeld (MCC)
Day Two - Doubles
1st Round
#3 Doubles Nathan Popov/Pablo Galan def Walker/Infante (Oakton) 6-2, 7-5
#2 Doubles Anthony Shultis/Chris Donkor def Matsunari/Espinosa (Elgin) 6-1, 6-0
#1 Doubles Marshawn Gallego/Seth Lampkin def Neufeld/Lagenhausen 6-7, 7-5,10-8
2nd Round
#3 Doubles Milota/Olivero (IVCC) def Nathan Popov/Pablo Galan 6-2, 3-6, 10-5
#2 Doubles Anthony Shultis/Chris Donkor def Krug/Sifunetes 6-1, 6-1
#1 Doubles Marshawn Gallego/Seth Lampkin def Phillips/Barron (IVCC) 2-6, 6-4, 10-5
Finals
#2 Doubles Lawrie/Larkin (Prairie State) def Anthony Shultis/Chris Donkor 6-1, 6-4
#1 Doubles Gundani/Hii (Prairie State) def Marshawn Gallego/Seth Lampkin 7-6, 6-4
3rd Place
#3 Doubles Nathan Popov/Pablo Galan def Rberts/DeMarco (MVCC) 8-1
