The Hillsdale College men's tennis team got two much-needed wins to shore up its G-MAC Tourney hopes on Friday and Saturday, downing both Kentucky Wesleyan and Thomas More by 6-1 margins in the team's final home matches of the season.
The Chargers looked strong in a win indoors in the Biermann Athletic Center over KWC on Friday night, taking the doubles point with a 6-0 victory from its No. 1 doubles team of sophomore
Ryan Papazov and junior
Ellis Klanduch, and a hard-fought 7-5 victory at No. 3 doubles from sophomores
Rintaro Goda and
Alex Cordero Lopez.
Hillsdale secured the match by winning five of the six singles contests in straight sets.
Sam Plys took a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Kentucky Wesleyan's Caleb Stovall at No. 2 singles, while Klanduch rolled to a 6-2, 6-4 victory over the Panthers' Nick Stoever at No. 3 singles. Cordero Lopez also took down his KWC opponent 6-3, 6-0 at No. 4 singles, Goda earned a dominant 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 5 singles, and freshman
Jackson Clements took a 6-4, 6-2 victory over his opponent at No. 6 singles.
The Chargers were shorthanded in the match on Saturday against Thomas More but didn't show it, rolling to a 6-1 victory outdoors on the Delp Tennis Courts.
Klanduch teamed with junior
Henry Hammond for a dominant 6-0 victory at No. 1 doubles while Plys and Goda took a 6-1 victory at No. 3 doubles to secure the first point of the match, and Hillsdale quickly closed out the victory with wins in each of the first five singles matches. Plys overcame a tight first set to win 7-5, 6-1 over Thomas More's Raphael Delente at No. 1 singles, Klanduch rolled to a 6-2, 6-0 victory at No. 2 singles, and Hammond cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 3 singles.
Cordero Lopez added another point for the Chargers with a 6-1, 6-2 with at No. 4 singles, and Goda closed things out for Hillsdale with a thrilling three-set victory at No. 5 singles, 6-3, 2-6, 10-5.
Hillsdale improves to 9-8 overall and 4-3 in G-MAC play, locking up the program's ninth-straight G-MAC Tournament berth. The Chargers still have a shot at the fourth seed in the tourney and will travel to G-MAC title contender Walsh on Saturday, April 18 for the regular season finale looking to lock up their spot.
