ST. PAUL, Minn. – Starting its first string of matches in the NCAA's Division III Week, the University of Northwestern Men's Tennis team was back at UNW's Johnson Tennis Complex against Hamline University on Wednesday. The Eagles came up clutch, triumphing with a 4-3 win over the Pipers to give Head Coach
Matt Swigart the 400th overall win of his career between the men's and women's programs.
In doubles, the Eagles started off hot, with the No. 1 doubles team of
Carson Haack (Elk River, Minn./Elk River) and
Sam Majerus (River Falls, Wis./River Falls) breaking early in the match off the Pipers' mistakes. The duo took a commanding 3-0 lead and never looked back as they pulled out a 6-2 win. Sadly, the same could not be said for
Griffen Jarchow (Luverne, Minn./Luverne) and
Jacob Petrick (Omaha, Neb./Elkhorn North) at No. 2 doubles. The Pipers broke the Eagles' serve early in the match to keep the pressure on for the doubles point as Jarchow and Petrick fell 2-6. It all came down to
Caleb Swigart (Cottage Grove, Minn./Park) and
Zander Peterson (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin) at No. 3 doubles. Swigart and Peterson kept the match close as lead changes kept swapping back and forth. But at 4-5, the Eagles had to save three match points in a row to stay in the match. And that they did. With this enormous save, the doubles pair used their momentum to clinch the doubles point with a 7-5 victory.
Off to singles, Haack faced another high-level opponent at No. 1 singles. His opponent's consistency and shot placement proved too much in the match, which was backed up by a mind-boggling behind-the-back clean winner on the run that left Haack and spectators speechless. Haack lost 3-6, 3-6. Keeping the hopes up for the Eagles,
Isaac Thomforde (Crookston, Minn./Crookston) (No. 5) appeared unbreakable in his match as the sophomore came up with a dominating 6-1, 6-0 win. Moving up to No. 4 singles was Peterson. In a chance to showcase his skills against higher level competition, Peterson played well, but his opponent played even better on many points. Peterson came up short, falling 4-6, 3-6. At No. 6 singles,
Carsen Kramer (Faribault, Minn/Faribault) showed major improvement on his technical tennis ability, and it showed in the match, as the freshman won 6-4, 6-2.
With a 3-2 lead, the Eagles just needed one of their two singles matches left to clinch against the Pipers, but it proved to be more difficult than expected. At No. 3 singles, Majerus lost the first set, but fought back to claim the second set, heading into a ten-point tiebreaker. Points were held close, staying at 6-6 on the changeover. However, some excellent shot-making by the Pipers established a good lead for the team as Majerus fell in a heartbreaking, 3-6, 6-3, 7-10 loss. Now at 3-3, it was up to the senior captain, Jarchow, to clinch in front of his home crowd. Jarchow won the first set, but dealt with some trouble in the second set. At 5-4, Jarchow got a match point opportunity, but unfortunately that point ended abruptly as the Pipers' serve dropped just over the net to save the game for them. The second set ended up going to a seven-point tiebreaker, in which the Pipers took charge and claimed the second set. But things weren't over as Jarchow had another chance in the ten-point tiebreaker. In what seemed like forever in the moment, both Jarchow and his opponent stayed consistent, though the senior captain wasn't playing to survive and play conservative, he was playing to win dominantly. Jarchow used his forehand to punish his opponent and got out to a 9-6 lead with three more match point opportunities. This time, the senior capitalized his first opportunity, emerging victorious and clinching the match for the Eagles with a score of 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 10-6, as his teammates swarmed him in celebration.
With the win, head coach
Matt Swigart achieved his 400th combined career win across men's and women's tennis in his 14th season.
The Eagles will have little time to rest as tomorrow, Thursday, April 9th, the men will play the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire at Johnson Tennis Complex. Matches are expected to start at 6:00 PM.
