EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.- The Western Illinois men's tennis team picked up a victory in its final tune-up before the Summit League championship, defeating SIU-Edwardsville, 5-2, while recording their fifth straight win.
The Leathernecks (10-15) began the match by sweeping all three doubles matches. Senior Zach Frisch and junior James McGuire made the quickest work of their opponent, dismissing Rob Young and Cole Garrison, 8-4, at No. 2 doubles. The teams of Neil Lesinski and Sean Ragee-Nelson and Michael Schild and RodrigoAzevedo each defeated their respected teams, 8-6.
In singles play, Western dropped the top two matches, but won all contests at three through six. Lesinski continued his strong day by defeating Garrison, 6-0, 6-1, at the No. 3 singles position. Ragee-Nelson nearly matched Lesinski's output by beating Mike Chamberlain, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 4 singles.
Freshman Mandela Shepard dropped the first set at No. 5 singles to Jordan Faulkenberg, but rebounded to win the final two sets and the match, 2-6, 6-2, 1-0 (7).
The Leathernecks enter Summit League play next weekend, April 24-25, as the No. 3 seed and will square off against the No. 2 seed UMKC.
Western Illinois 5, UMKC 2
Singles
1) Paulo Gonzalez (SIU-E) def. Zach Frisch 7-6 (2), 6-1
2) Rob Young (SIU-E) def. Francisco Ortiz 6-0, 6-1
3) Neil Lesinski (WIU) def. Cole Garrison 6-0, 6-1
4) Sean Ragee-Nelson (WIU) def. Mike Chamberlain 6-1, 6-1
5) Mandela Shepard (WIU) def. Jordan Faulkenberg 2-6, 6-2, 1-0 (7)
6) James Capalbo (WIU) def. Kevin Faulkenberg 6-1, 6-3
Doubles
1) Lesinski/Ragee-Nelson def. Gonzalez/Chamberlain 8-6
2) Frisch/James McGuire def. Young/Garrison 8-4
3) Michael Schild/Rodrigo Azevedo def. Christiansen/Wilson 8-6
