HILTON HEAD, S.C. -- The Northwestern College men's tennis team opened its first day of play in a warmer climate with differing results as the Eagles posted a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis College of Pharmacy before falling to Wittenberg College 9-0.

NWC-St. Louis Match Results
NWC-Wittenberg Match Results

Against the Eutectics, the Eagles' Nos. 1 and 2 doubles teams both posted victories, with the No. 1 pair of David Knight (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge) and Keagan Blancke (Elk River, Minn./Elk River) defeating opponents Nick Selby and Michael Kim 8-0. Agassi Mila (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids) and Jimmy Ekman (River Falls, Wis./River Falls) were also successful in the No. 2 hole as they won 8-6 to give NWC a 2-1 lead heading into singles action.

Knight took care of Alex Cline 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 singles, with Blancke posting an even better finish in his 6-0, 6-0 sweep of Selby at No. 2. Ekman then picked up a 6-3, 6-4 decision against Matt Respicio at the No. 4 position while Philip Gudim (Becker, Minn./Home School) found success in an elongated No. 5 singles match against Brad Rumancik that ended at 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5).

Unfortunately for the Eagles, their second match of the day didn't come with the same success as Wittenberg won all six singles battles and the three doubles contests. Knight's first set against Ian Streicker at No. 1 singles went 7-5 in Wittenberg's favor with Streicker then taking the match with a 6-2 second set win. Besides Knight and doubles teammate Keagan Blancke (Elk River, Minn./Elk River)'s 8-6 loss to start the afternoon affair, NWC wasn't able to win more than four games in any given set.

Now 2-4 on the year, Northwestern will be in action again on Saturday as the Eagles get set to face Cornell College (Iowa).