Beautiful early spring weather greeted the Saint Ignatius varsity tennis team on Monday afternoon at Magnificat High School.

The weather set the stage for a sunny start to the Bobbe Bennett era of Saint Ignatius tennis.

The Tennis Cats defeated Avon Lake in impressive fashion, 5-0, not losing as much as a single set. 

All three singles players for the Wildcats looked strong. Arjun Brahmbhatt played with composure at the No. 1 singles spot, downing Spencer Gray of Avon Lake, 6-0, 6-1. Brahmbhatt will be a fun player to watch this season. 

Brian Zhu faced a difficult challenge in the No. 2 spot, as Aiden Shoop proved to be a fierce challenger. Zhu and Shoop fought tooth and nail in the first set, until Zhu broke through for a 7-5 victory. Shoop kept working hard, but Zhu's strength and resolve paid off with a 6-0 win in the second set. 

Nate Day competed for the Cats in the No. 3 spot in his first varsity match of his young Saint Ignatius career. Day used his height and power quite skillfully in a 6-1, 6-0 win over Barkin Celik. Just a freshman, Day has the potential to be a special player for the Blue and Gold. 

Both Wildcats' doubles teams played well together, too. The two duos showed off strong teamwork and communication, playing well off each other for just the first match of the year.

Richie Hofstra and Jack McNally worked efficiently for the Wildcats in the top doubles match. Defeating Matt Furrer and Ben Szarek 6-0, 6-1, Hofstra and McNally showcased some nice skills. 

Thomas Deucher and Jack Showman did the honors in the second doubles match. The Wildcats battled with Dino Pietromica and Aidan Miller, capturing a 6-2, 6-1 win. Deucher and Showman hit holes in the Shoremen's defenses, exploiting weak spots well. 

Following the win over Avon Lake, the 1-0 Wildcats will head to Toledo (weather-permitting) for a 3 pm matchup with Toledo St. John's Jesuit on Tuesday afternoon.