Related Links:
Millikin Box Score
Illinois Tech Box Score
Carleton Box Score
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's tennis team kicked off the 2019 spring season over the weekend by winning two of three duals against regional opponents at Lake Geneva Tennis in Lake Geneva.
The Warhawks (2-1) topped Millikin by a 9-0 score and Illinois Tech by an 8-1 count on Saturday, and concluded the weekend Sunday with a narrow 5-4 setback against No. 37 Carleton (Minn.).
Against Millikin (1-1), UW-Whitewater didn't drop a set in singles or doubles. Senior
Brett Conard (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) and freshman
Parker Hearne (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah) started the scoring with an 8-1 victory at No. 3 doubles. Sophomore
Robert Rider (Annapolis, Md./South River) and freshman
Noah Guillermo (Muskego, Wis./Marquette University HS) posted an 8-5 win at the second position, and senior
Jimmy Engelhart (Brookfield, Wis./East) and freshman
Alex Gray (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) connected at the top slot for an 8-7 (6) triumph.
Freshman
Brendan Pietila (Sussex, Wis./Arrowhead) recorded a 6-3, 6-2 victory at No. 4 singles, and Engelhart clinched the match with a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 1. Other straight-set winners included Gray at No. 3, Conard at No. 5, Rider at No. 6 and freshman
Ryan Mitchell (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) at No. 2.
In the match against Illinois Tech (2-4), the Warhawks claimed all three doubles matches to take a 3-0 advantage. Engelhart and Gray claimed an 8-2 triumph at No. 1, Mitchell and senior
Brandon Dechter (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel Catholic) collected an 8-5 victory at No. 2 and Rider and Guillermo capped the doubles sweep with an 8-5 win at No. 3.
Gray earned a 7-5, 6-0 triumph at the third doubles position, and Engelhart clinched the match on a super tiebreaker during a 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (11-9) victory at the first position. Guillermo used a super tiebreaker for a 6-2, 6-7, 1-0 (11-9) win at No. 5, while Mitchell was a 7-5, 7-5 winner at No. 2. Conard wrapped up the match with a 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (12-10) triumph at the sixth spot.
In Sunday's match against Carleton (6-1), Rider and Guillermo provided the lone doubles point from the No. 3 position with an 8-1 triumph.
Gray tied the match at 2-2 without dropping a game at the fourth position, and Pietila leveled the match at 3-3 with a 6-2, 6-4 victory at No. 5 after the Knights took the lead.
Dechter gave UW-Whitewater a 4-3 lead with a 7-5, 7-6 (7) win from the No. 2 slot before Carleton claimed the last two matches, including one in a super tiebreaker, to edge the Warhawks.
UW-Whitewater hosts the two-day Warhawk Invite next weekend at Lake Geneva Tennis. The Warhawks open play Friday with a dual against Ohio Wesleyan at 9:45 a.m.
