Bledar Gashi
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- Height:
- 5'10"
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- Hometown:
- Diksmuide, Belgium
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- Year:
- Fr.
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- High School:
- Sint-Aloysius College
News mentions
The Ventura College men's tennis team has been named an All-Academic Team by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association while five team members have been named Junior College Men's Scholar Athletes by the ITA in a release last week. The Pirates posted a 3.35 overall grade point average in the spring 2021 semester to be one of nine programs to be recognized nationally while Bledar Gashi, Lucas Gazic, Yuya Koide, Brodie Soderstein and Ethan Wang were among 57 student athletes to earn the individual honors from the national organization.
The Pirates' men's tennis team ended their Covid-shortened 2021 campaign with a pair of victories Friday in Fresno. VC blanked Modesto and Fresno City in a pair of matches, finishing a challenging year on a high note as Ventura was undefeated against community college competition.
The Pirates' men's tennis team made it close, but could not quite get the victory Wednesday afternoon, falling to Cal Lutheran 5-4 in Thousand Oaks. Ventura had a 4-3 advantage with two singles matches remaining but could not hold on against the NCAA Division III school. VC has now played six matches against all levels of four-year schools this season with the lack of community college competition available due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although the record might not show it, the 2021 Covid season has been a great experience for the VC men's tennis team. It continued on Friday as the Pirates traveled to take on NCAA Division I foe Fresno State, dropping a pair of matches against the Bulldogs. Ventura has now played four-year schools in five of its six matches this season with limited community college competition available.
After three matches against 4-year schools, the Pirates' men's tennis team finally played another community college team, defeating Mt. San Antonio College 7-2 Thursday in Walnut. Yuya Koide posted two points with wins in No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles with Brodie Sodersten. Eduardo Gorgonio Criscuolo also won a pair of matches at No. 5 singles and No. 3 doubles with partner Ethan Wang.
For the second straight day and the third straight match, the Pirates' men's tennis team battled a 4-year school, falling at NCAA Division II Biola University in La Mirada, 7-2. The No. 2 doubles team of Yoya Koide and Ryan Lam earned a point with a 6-4 victory and Lam won his No. 4 singles match 6-2, ret.
With few community college men's tennis programs playing this spring, the Pirates' have turned to a difficult road schedule mainly against 4-year programs. That road continued Thursday as VC (0-2) dropped a 9-0 decision at Azusa Pacific University. Regnar Madarang pushed his opponent in No. 3 singles before falling 7-5, 6-3 and the duo of Yuya Koide and Ryan Lam recorded a 6-3 loss at No. 2 doubles for Ventura.
The Ventura College men's tennis team played their long-awaited 2021 season opener at Westmont College in Montecito on Saturday, falling 6-3 to the NAIA 4-year school. Yoya Koide won his No. 1 singles match to headline the Pirate competitors on the day.