SAINT PETER, Minn. and BEVERLY, Mass. - No. 14 Gustavus men's tennis competed as a split squad on Saturday, winning a pair of matches at the Swanson Tennis Center and falling on the road in a nationally-ranked matchup. The Gusties defeated Nebraska Wesleyan 7-0 and UW-Superior 6-1 at home, and lost 5-2 at No. 3 Tufts University, moving to 9-8 overall.
Gustavus 7, Nebraska Wesleyan 0
The Gusties started the day with a shutout victory over the Prairie Wolves.
Ali Derbani and
Takura Mhwandagara rolled to a 6-0 win at No. 2 doubles, followed by a 6-1 win by
Odin Fouchier and
Joseph Li at No. 2, and a 6-4 victory by
Noah Hakim and
Owen Skanse at the top spot.
The home squad continued its momentum into singles play with straight set victories top to bottom -
Quinn Monson,
Yash Bahalkar, Skanse, Fouchier, Li, and
Gonzalo de Lorenzo Vicente, respectively.
Gustavus 6, UW-Superior 1
The Gusties played the same doubles lineup at the top two spots, earning another pair of wins, while Monson and Bahalkar teamed up for a 6-1 win at No. 3.
The Yellowjackets earned their sole point with a 7-5, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles. Hakim, Derbani, Monson, Bahalkar, and Skanse all won in straight sets.
Gustavus 2, Tufts 5
Playing in the second consecutive nationally-ranked matchup of their trip to Massachusetts, the Gusties battled the No. 3-ranked team in the country in a close match, but eventually lost 5-2.
The Jumbos started the match with a 6-3 win at No. 1 doubles and the Gusties reciprocated with a 6-3 win at No. 2 from
Marco Siviero and
Dominik Knutson.
Josh Christensen and
Taona Mhwandagara came close at No. 3, but lost the tiebreak 7-6 as the Jumbos earned the doubles point.
Knutson claimed the first singles point for the Gusties at No. 4, winning 6-4, 6-2.
Gage Gohl erased a first set 7-5 loss at No. 2, going on to win the next two 6-3, 6-0 for the other Gustie point.
Siviero,
Tyler Haddorff, and
Luke Fridinger came close at Nos. 1, 5, and 6, respectively, but lost in third sets. Haddorff was up 5-2 in the third, while Siviero was up a set and 3-3 in the second set breaker.
Gustavus wraps up its East Coast trip Sunday with a match at Brandeis University.
