Huskies Edge Kutztown 4-3 Sunday at Spring Tennis Fest
HILTON HEAD, S.C. – The Michigan Tech men's tennis team picked up a 4-3 non-conference win over Kutztown University Sunday morning on the opening day of the Spring Tennis Fest held in Hilton Head, South Carolina. The Huskies earned a crucial point in doubles and had wins in the number four through six spots in the singles lineup to secure the victory.
"We played a solid match overall today and I'm really happy for our players that they were able to get this first win," Michigan Tech Head Coach Kevin Kalinec said. "We had great efforts from our players up and down the lineup, especially in the No. 4 through No. 6 spots. We trailed 3-1 at one point in the match and those three players made some big shots to get wins that enabled us to complete the comeback victory. We are excited to get back out on the court tomorrow to face a good Illinois-Springfield team."
Michigan Tech (1-3) earned what would prove to be a crucial point with three wins in doubles to start the match. Senior Mario Neto along with freshman Siddhesh Mahadeshwar topped Nolan Perugini and Josh Carl of Kutztown 6-3 in No. 1 doubles Sunday morning. Sophomore Nico Caviglia and sophomore Ignacio Carbajosa then teamed up to power past Renato Santos and Benjamin Kelly in No. 2 doubles 6-2. The Huskies earned the doubles sweep via a 6-0 shutout victory by senior Juan Felipe Chica and freshman Nathan Sodini against Logan Kemp and Bobby Frankenfield.
Kutztown stormed back in singles to take a 3-1 edge with wins in the top three positions in the lineup. Perugini topped Neto 6-4, 6-2 in the No. 1 spot followed by Renato Santos getting past Caviglia 7-6, 7-6 in a tightly contested No. 2 singles match. Carbajosa took Josh Carl to three sets in No. 3 singles, but unfortunately Carl was able to emerge victorious 6-7, 6-4, 10-7.
Needing to garner the final three singles points to earn the win, the Huskies were able to do just that. Mahadeshwar flew by Benjamin Kelly 6-1, 6-2 for his first collegiate career singles win in the No. 4 spot and then it was Felipe Chica locking down a 6-1, 6-2 victory against Logan Kemp in No. 5 singles. Felipe Chica's point clinched the overall match win after a 6-1, 6-0 victory by Sodini against Frankenfield in the No. 6 spot in the lineup deadlocked the score at 3-3. For Sodini, it was his second singles victory of the 2019 campaign and second of his career.
The Huskies are back on the court Monday when they take on Illinois-Springfield at the Spring Tennis Fest in Hilton Head. The first serve is slated for 8:30 a.m. eastern time.