GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin University men's tennis team scored a big rivalry win over Hope College by the final score of 6-3 on Saturday at Strikwerda Tennis Center.
Calvin (12-2, 4-0 MIAA) got off to a strong start with wins in the top two seeded doubles contests. The number-one team of
Maurquis Willingham (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) and
Corwin Kim (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) won 8-4, and the number-two team of
Felipe Sartori (Cotia, Brazil/Colegio Giusto Zonzini) and
Harrison Sindelar (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) won 8-0.
After Hope (9-9, 3-2 MIAA) won the third doubles match 8-7 thanks to an 11-9 tiebreaker, the Knights still needed three points in singles to secure the overall win.
Emmanuel Henao (Medellin, Columbia/Escuela Normal Superior "La Merced") took the first point with a 6-0, 6-1 win in six-singles, and Willingham (6-4, 6-0) scored the second win in one-singles to push the Knights to four points on the day.
Needing one more point, Kim (7-6, 6-1) won his first set tiebreaker 9-7 on the way to his straight sets win in three-singles to push the Knights over the finish line, and
Ryan Broek (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) won his four-singles match in three sets 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 to add a sixth point in the win.
COACH'S COMMENT: "It was a great rivalry win," Calvin head tennis coach
John Ross said. "Hope pushed us to the limit, but our guys showed some guts in pulling out some tight matches. Getting the two doubles points was again key for us. Both teams have good young talent and are set up well for the future. That will make the rivalry even better in years to come."
NEXT UP: Calvin men's tennis returns to action on Wednesday, April 17, when it travels to Albion College for a match scheduled to start at 4:00 PM.
