TULSA, Okla.- The Western Illinois men's tennis team dropped a mid-week match to nationally-ranked Tulsa, 7-0, at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center.
In singles play, freshman Mandela Shepard battled hard in the second set after dropping the first set, but eventually lost to the Hurricane's Albert Iou, 6-1, 6-3. Senior Sean Ragee-Nelson also fought tough before eventually falling to Rusty Turpin, 6-2, 6-2.
In doubles action, Ragee-Nelson teamed with fellow senior Neil Lesinski at No. 3 doubles to give Marko Ballok and No. 1 singles player in the nation Arnau Bruges a match before eventually dropping the pro-set, 8-4.
Western competes in its first Summit League cluster of the season, squaring off against Centenary, UMKC and Oral Roberts, March 27-29, in Tulsa.
No. 35 Tulsa 7, Western Illinois 0??
Singles?
1. Arnau Brugues (TLS) def. Zach Frisch (WIU), 6-0, 6-0
?2. Ashley Watling (TLS) def. Neil Lesinki (WIU), 6-0, 6-0?
3. Marko Ballok (TLS) vs. Francisco Ortiz (WIU), 6-2, 6-0?
4. Wojciech Starakiewicz (TLS) def. Rodrigo Azevedo (WIU), 6-1, 6-1?
5. Rusty Turpin (TLS) vs. Sean Ragee-Nelson (WIU), 6-2, 6-2?
6. Albert Jou (TLS) vs. Mandela Shepard (WIU), 6-1, 6-3??
Doubles?
1. Seagraves/ Sottocorno (TLS) def. Frisch/McGuire (WIU), 8-3?
2. Stephens/Watling (TLS) def. Ortiz/Shepard (WIU), 8-0?
3. Ballok/Brugues (TLS) def. Lesinki/Ragee-Nelson (WIU), 8-4