HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech men's tennis team suffered a 7-0 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference loss to Ferris State Saturday in the Gates Tennis Center. Despite the setback, the Huskies made progress as the team continues to build moving forward.
"We are beginning to get some traction as a team and I thought we took another step in the right direction against a good Ferris State team today," Michigan Tech Head Coach Kevin Kalinec said. "I thought we played our best doubles matches in two years and our players are beginning to find a rhythm there. I was very happy with our effort again today and it's great to see our players make adjustments and improvements from match to match. We are excited for the opportunity to get back out on the court tomorrow against another very good GLIAC team in Northwood."
Michigan Tech (2-7, 0-2 GLIAC) and Ferris State (3-8, 1-0 GLIAC) were locked in a back and forth battle throughout the doubles portion of Saturday's showdown. The Bulldogs unfortunately earned the doubles point, but each of the three matches were tightly contested with the separation being no more than three points. The No. 2 doubles slot went into the books first with Tech sophomore Nico Caviglia and sophomore Ignacio Carbajosa coming up just short 6-3 against the Ferris State duo of Nur Ramandi Iswan and Jack Seymour.
Senior Mario Neto and freshman Siddhesh Mahadeshwar put up a strong fight against Pablo Munoz Baroja and Mathis Guerre in No. 1 doubles. The Bulldogs were able to escape with a 6-4 win and clinch the doubles point, but Neto and Mahadeshwar stayed on their heels to the end of the set. Senior Juan Felipe Chica and freshman Nathan Sodini were penciled into the No. 3 doubles spot and turned in one of their strongest performances of the year. Sodini and Felipe Chica took Cedric Rupa and Ayush Deswal down to the wire in a 7-6 decision that unfortunately went to the Bulldogs.
Neto carried some momentum from doubles into the singles portion of Saturday's match against Ferris State. Neto faced Iswan for the Bulldogs at the top of the lineup and after a slow start in the first set, came back with a strong second to make things close. Iswan claimed a 6-0 win in the opening set, but Neto fired back with some great adjustments in the second to nearly force a third frame. Iswan was able to hold him off though with a 7-6 win.
In No. 2 singles, Caviglia fell to Pablo Munoz Baroja 6-1, 6-2 while Carbajosa played well before dropping a 6-3, 6-0 decision to Deswal in No. 3 singles. Guerre defeated Mahadeshwar in No. 4 singles 6-0, 6-1, Felipe Chica lost to Connor Douglas 6-0, 6-2 in No. 5 singles, and Sodini fell short to Rupa 6-2, 6-1 to close out the day in No. 6 singles.
The Huskies wrap up the opening weekend of GLIAC competition on Sunday against Northwood in the Gates Tennis Center. The first serve is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. eastern time.
