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Cardinal Stritch Box Score
Millikin Box Score
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's tennis team opened the 2020 spring season Saturday by finishing 1-1 in dual matches against Cardinal Stritch and Millikin.
The Warhawks (1-1 overall) opened the day with a 7-0 loss against Cardinal Stritch, which is ranked third in the NAIA, at River Glen Elite in Milwaukee. They concluded the day with a 9-0 shutout against Millikin (Ill.) at Lake Geneva Tennis.
In the match against Millikin (0-2), UW-Whitewater swept the three doubles matches for a 3-0 advantage. Junior
Robert Rider (Annapolis, Md./South River) and
Cole Lindwall (Cottage Grove, Wis./Monona Grove) put the Warhawks on the board with an 8-3 triumph at No. 3. Senior
Rory Calabria (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) and sophomore
Alex Gray (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) finished next with an 8-2 victory at No. 1, and senior
Zach Wood (Downers Grove, Ill./South) and freshman
Danila Borovykh (Ryazan, Russia/Boca Prep International School (Fla.)) concluded the sweep with an 8-6 win at No. 2.
Sophomore
Noah Guillermo (Muskego, Wis./Marquette University HS) was first to finish in singles, posting a 6-0, 6-1 triumph at the fifth position, and sophomore
Brendan Pietila (Sussex, Wis./Arrowhead) clinched the match with a 6-0, 6-0 victory at the fourth position.
Other winners included sophomore
Ryan Mitchell (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) at No. 2, Gray at No. 1, Lindwall at No. 3 and Wood at No. 6. All four matches also finished in straight sets.
Against Cardinal Stritch (2-0), Mitchell and Guillermo combined for a 6-3 triumph at the third slot, but the Wolves took the remaining two contests to earn the doubles point by virtue of taking two of three matches in a dual played by Division I rules.
Calabria and Lindwall claimed their respective first sets at No. 2 and No. 4 singles, respectively, but neither came away with a victory. Gray forced a third-set super tiebreaker at the top spot, but was outlasted 7-6 (6), 4-6, 1-0 (10-4).
Pietila (No. 5) and Wood (No. 6) forced their respective opponents to win one set apiece on a tiebreaker, but were ultimately defeated in straight sets.
The Warhawks continue the spring season next Saturday, Feb. 8, at Lake Geneva Tennis with duals against Carleton (Minn.) at 10 a.m. and Illinois Tech at 5 p.m.