OWATONNA, Minn. – The University of Northwestern played its fourth match of the season on Friday night, earning a 5-4 victory over Simpson College at the West Hills Tennis Center. The win sends the Eagles squad on its annual spring break trip to Florida with a 2-2 record.

Match Results

Northwestern took two of the three doubles matches, with the No. 2 bout finishing in especially exciting fashion as UNW's Brett Jacobus (Lakeville, Minn. /Lakeville North) and Trevor Grasto (Big Lake, Minn./Big Lake) combined to defeat Peter Reitgraf and Geoff Converse 9-8 with a 7-3 tiebreaker. CJ Lloyd (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) and Joshua Kimball (Waseca, Minn./Waseca) lost a close 8-6 battle in their No. 1 doubles match, but Northwestern's No. 3 team of Tanner Magruder (Altoona, Wis./Altoona) and Turner Main (Kewaunee, Wis./Kewaunee) were able to beat Aaron Smith and Adam Weiser 8-2 to give the Eagles an advantage heading into singles action.

Despite not winning in doubles, Lloyd was good for a 6-1, 6-2 win against Reitgraf at No. 1 singles to give Northwestern its third point of the match. Jacobus lost to Barnard in a close 7-5, 7-5 match at No. 2, while Grasto was forced to retire from his No. 3 singles match, putting the pressure on the Nos. 4, 5, and 6 players.

Kimball won his No. 4 singles match in a rather easy 6-2, 6-0 finish, while Magruder's 7-5, 6-1 No. 5 victory over Simpson's Smith did the job for UNW. Weiser defeated Northwestern's Nathan Elias (St. Anthony Village, Minn. /St. Anthony) 7-5, 6-3 in No. 6 singles.

Northwestern will play six matches while in Florida, with five of the six contests taking place in the Tampa area. UNW's first bout comes against Coe College on Saturday, March 7 in Orlando.