EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - The Western Illinois men's tennis team completed its third dual match in three days Sunday (Feb. 8) afternoon, taking on SIU-Edwardsville. All seven Leathernecks saw action Sunday as Western dropped a 7-0 decision to the Cougars, dropping them to 0-5 on the season.
SIU-Edwardsville competed well today," said head coach
Mashiska Washington. "For the first time this season, everyone on our roster had the opportunity to play either singles or doubles. The more matches we have played, the stronger we will become."
The Cougars jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead as they claimed the doubles point with 6-0 victories over
Chris Bunch and
Surya Sawhney at No. 2, and
Jacob Sanders and
Ross Smith at No. 3. The No. 1 match featuring
Christoph Haertel and
Nikola Pavlovic went unfinished, as the match was abandoned after the doubles point had been secured.
In singles action,
Anthony Timberlake made his Western Illinois debut, but fell, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 6 singles. Smith fought in the first set at No. 5 before eventually dropping a 6-4, 6-0 decision. Sawhney fell (6-1, 6-0) and Sanders dropped his dual (6-0, 6-1) at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively. Bunch made his first appearance at the No. 1 slot Sunday, falling 6-2, 6-0, and Pavlovic tallied a 6-0, 6-3 loss at No. 2.
Western returns to the courts next weekend, as the Leathernecks take on Northern Illinois on Saturday, Feb. 14. First serve in DeKalb is slated for 1 p.m.
