OWATONNA, Minn. – The UNW Men's Tennis team traveled to Owatonna to host the Dubuque Spartans on Saturday. The Eagles led early but fell 5-4 to the Spartans.
In doubles, the Eagles started out strong.
Jacob Weddle (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) and
Stewart Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Homeschool) swept their #2 match 8-0 to start out the day.
Darin Rupp (Sioux Falls, S.D./Roosevelt) and
Tyrus Studer (Rapid City, S.D./Stevens) followed with an 8-1 #3 doubles win.
Jack Geurkink (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) and
Adam Ryerse (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) closed out the doubles matches with an 8-1 win.
With a sweep of the doubles contests, the Eagles entered singles play up 3-0. Down but not defeated, the Spartans found their footing and turned the match around. Dubuque won the first three singles matches, taking the #1, #6, and #5 matches to even the team score at 3-3.
Joel Fremling (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin) retook the lead for UNW with a 7-5, 6-1 win at #3 singles, bringing the Eagles within one point of victory. The Spartans, however, completed the rally by winning #4 and #2 singles to take the match 5-4.
Up next for Northwestern is a match against Bethany Lutheran at 4:00 P.M.
