SANFORD, Fla. – The University of Northwestern men's tennis team continued their success in Florida this week, winning their third consecutive match on Tuesday. The Eagles took on the Cornell College Rams and persevered through adversity to take the match 5-4 in their favor.
In doubles, a mid-match injury forced the Eagles to default their #1 Doubles match. Down a point and facing uncertainty in the upcoming singles lineup, UNW capitalized in the remaining doubles matches to take an early lead.
Stewart Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Homeschool) and
Jacob Weddle (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) won the #2 match 8-1, after which the duo of
Isaac Velgersdyk (Savage, Minn./Southwest Christian) and
Tyrus Studer (Rapid City, S.D./Stevens) took #3 Doubles 8-1 for Northwestern.
Though Northwestern led 2-1 after doubles, UNW had few options but to have most of their singles lineup play a spot higher than they were expecting to going into the match. The team rolled with the challenge and stepped up on the court, starting with
Joel Fremling (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin) winning his #6 Singles match in a 6-0, 6-0 sweep.
Darin Rupp (Sioux Falls, S.D./Roosevelt) followed with another dominant UNW performance, taking his #5 match 6-0, 6-1.
Now up 4-1 and needing just one more point to cement the victory, Weddle got the job done with a 6-1, 6-4 win at the #3 Singles match to clinch the win for the Eagles. The freshman's victory proved vital as the Rams won the remaining three singles matches. Nonetheless, the Eagles persevered through the early adversity and secured the 5-4 victory.
Up next for Northwestern is a match on Thursday, March 10, at 11:30 A.M. eastern time against Bethel College of Indiana.
