ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Northwestern men's tennis team hosted the Hamline University Pipers for a non-conference match at the Johnson Tennis Complex on Tuesday evening. UNW won 7-2 over the Pipers to improve to 17-4 overall on the season.
With four more matches remaining in the regular season and postseason play on the horizon, the Eagles have a chance to eclipse their all-time single-season wins record of 20, set last year when the 2021 squad went 20-9.
Against Hamline, the Eagles swept the doubles matches.
Stewart Morrell (Elk River, Minn./Homeschool) and
Jacob Weddle (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) opened the contest with an 8-5 win at #2 doubles.
Darin Rupp (Sioux Falls, S.D./Roosevelt) and
Tyrus Studer (Rapid City, S.D./Stevens) followed with an 8-2 win in the #3 match.
Adam Ryerse (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) and
Jack Geurkink (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) won the #1 doubles match 8-6 to send the Eagles to singles up 3-0.
Weddle won the first singles match, taking #3 singles 6-4, 6-3 to earn the fourth team point for Northwestern. The Pipers held off defeat by winning the #2 singles match 6-3, 7-6 (7-4). The Eagles nonetheless clinched the match as Morrell won #1 singles 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) to earn the deciding fifth team point for UNW.
The match clinched and up 5-1, Rupp proceeded to win #6 singles 6-0, 6-2.
Isaac Velgersdyk (Savage, Minn./Southwest Christian) followed with a 6-0, 6-2 win in #5 singles to earn a seventh team point for Northwestern. The Pipers closed out the match with a win in the #4 singles match, setting the final score at 7-2, Eagles.
Up next for Northwestern is a trip up to Superior, Wisconsin to take on the Yellowjackets in a conference contest this Wednesday, April 27, at 3:00 P.M.
