LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – One team faced poor weather at home, while two teams went to the coasts for spring break trips as three Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference men's tennis teams competed this week.
Weather issues this weekend caused the ‘Roos to cut their first match against the University of the Southwest short, after trailing 3-0. The next day, they were able to complete a match against Hendrix College, but fell 6-3 to the Warriors. The ‘Roos battled in doubles action, but couldn’t pick up a point. At No. 1 doubles, Cedric Ambulo and Adam Dokos fell 8-5 while Jacob Morgan and Erik Meendsen dropped the third line 8-6. Hendrix swept the top three singles matches, but AC took over in 4-6. Preston Glasscock took No. 4 singles 6-1, 6-0 and Daniel Oxenreiter and David Smith took No. 5 and 6, respectively, with identical scores of 8-4.
Colorado College
The Tigers traveled east this week, taking on Berry College and College of Wooster in Orlando. The Tigers were very competitive in the top two doubles matches as Jack Burger and Jason Gutierrez dropped an 8-6 decision at the No. 1 spot and Ross Sherman and Taylor Delehanty lost the No. 2 match, 9-7. In singles, Sherman fell, 6-1, 6-4 at the No. 4 spot, while Casey Shaw dropped the third line, 6-3, 6-1, to clinch the match for the Vikings. Gutierrez and Burger won in straight sets at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, while Delehanty downed BC’s Jacob Belcher, 6-0, 6-4, at No. 5. The following day, CC fell to Wooster by the same 6-3 score. The Tigers' No. 1 doubles team of Burger and Gutierrez won the No. 1 doubles match, 8-5, but Wooster won the other two matches to take an early 2-1 lead. In singles play, Burger improved to 3-1 at the No. 2 spot with a 6-3, 6-4 victory, while Delehanty rallied to win the No. 5 match, 4-6, 6-3, 1-0(7). CC lost two matches in three sets as Gutierrez fell at No. 1, 6-7(6), 7-5, 1-0(4) and Sherman lost the No. 4 match, 6-4, 3-6, 1-0(7).
Trinity University
The Tigers had a busy week in California, playing six matches over as many days against top-25 teams. They began the week with #8 Kenyon College, defeating the Lords 8-1. All six singles matches went to three sets, with Trinity being on the winning side of five. Adam Krull took the top spot 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 before Aaron Skinner took the second line 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. Clayton Niess, Charlier Curtis and Chas Mayer took spots 4, 5 and 6, respectively. Jordan Mayer and Skinner teamed up for an 8-5 win at No. 1 doubles, Krull and Niess took the second line 8-6 and Curtis/Chas Mayer earned the final doubles point 8-5. The next day, Trinity took on #24 Cal Lutheran, earning a 6-3 win. Skinner and Jordan Mayer took No. 2 and 3 singles, while Curtis and Chas Mayer took spots 5 and 6. The Tigers also earned wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles from Krull/Niess and Curtis/Chas Mayer, respectively. Friday, the Tigers faced #11 Carnegie Mellon University, earning their first loss against a Division III opponent this season. Despite holding a 2-1 lead after doubles, the Tartans rallied back for a 5-4 win. The Tigers two singles wins came from Jordan Mayer and Chas Mayer at the No. 3 (6-3, 6-7 (3-7) 6-0) and No. 6 (3-6, 6-0, 6-2) spots. Krull and Niess teamed up at No. 2 doubles for a 9-7 win, while Curtis/Chas Mayer took the third line 8-5. To begin the second half of their California trip, the Tigers competed in the Stag-Hen Invitational hosted by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges and Pomona-Pitzer Colleges. The Tigers pulled out a 6-3 win over #15 Whitman College in the quarterfinals of the invitational. TU got out to a 2-1 lead after doubles play with wins at No. 2 and No. 3. In singles action, they didn’t let up at they took four of the six matches. At No. 1 singles, Krull handed WC a 6-3, 6-1 loss. Skinner faced a tougher battle, taking the No. 2 spot 6-1, 2-6, 6-3. At No. 3 singles, Jordan Mayer won 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3). Charlie Curtis earned the Tigers final point with a win at No. 5 singles 6-4, 2-6. 6-2. In the semifinals of the Stag-Hen, the Tigers faced No. 9 Pomona-Pitzer, but fell 7-2. P-P swept doubles action, taking a 3-0 lead heading into singles. Adam Krull took the top spot, 6-0, 2-6, 6-0. Clayton Niess earned the Tigers only other point, winning at No. 4 singles 6-3, 7-5. In their final match for third-place, the Tigers faced Washington University (Mo.), but couldn’t earned the win, falling 6-3. Niess/Krull earned the only doubles win for the Tigers, taking the No. 2 spot 8-6. Krull grabbed a win at No. 1 singles 7-6 (7-1), 6-0, while Chas Mayer earned TU’s final point at No. 5 singles, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4).