Related Links:
Box Score

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's tennis team started their trip through the NCAA Tournament Thursday afternoon in Elsah, Ill., against Principia.  The match was moved from St. Louis due to inclement weather.
 
The Warhawks (16-7) faced off against Principia (14-9) and kept a firm grip on the match throughout, advancing with a 5-0 victory that was played to decision.
 
The Warhawks swept singles in convincing fashion.  Junior Zach Wood (Downers Grove, Ill./South) and freshman Ryan Mitchell (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) led off with an 8-3 victory in the third slot. 
 
Senior Brandon Dechter (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel Catholic) and sophomore Robert Rider (Annapolis, Md./South River) added on an 8-4 victory in the second, while senior Jimmy Engelhart (Brookfield, Wis./East) and freshman Alex Gray (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) completed the sweep with a hard-fought 8-6 victory in the third slot. 
 
In singles, Mitchell and Gray quickly closed out the match for the Warhawks.  Mitchell claimed a 6-0, 6-2 victory in the fourth slot, while Gray earned the winning point with a 6-1, 6-0 score in the third slot.
 
The Warhawks advance to play at 2 p.m. Friday in the second round.  They will play in a rematch against No. 27 Kalamazoo, which edged UW-Whitewater in the Warhawks' regular season finale, 5-4.