ORLANDO - The IUPUI men's tennis team dropped a pair of 4-3 decisions on Sunday (Mar. 12) to cap the three-game Spring Break trip to Orlando. The Jaguars lost the morning contest to Fairfield before following up with a loss to Lehigh in the evening. IUPUI (4-14) won the doubles point in both contests, but was unable to push either to the finish line.
Fairfield 4, IUPUI 3
In the morning contest, IUPUI squeezed out the doubles point behind a 7-5 win at the No. 1 spot from
Alex Jochim and
Tom Ciszewski and a 6-4 win at the No. 3 spot from
Nicholas Moody and
Kamil Kozerski.
Singles play was incredibly tight with four of the six matches going to third sets.
Colton Morehart made quick work of Fairfield's Keean Shah at No. 4 singles in a 6-0, 6-1 win to stake IUPUI to a 2-0 advantage.
Nate Day fell at No. 5 by a 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 score while the other four courts were still in action.
Freshman
Eli Mercer rallied for a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win at No. 6 singles, but Fairfield won at the top three spots to secure the win. Ciszewski fell at No. 2 7-5, 1-6, 6-2 and Kozerski was upended at No. 3 by Fairfield's Tolunay Sumer, 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-3. The clincher came at the top spot as Fairfield's Kaya Gore outlasted Jochim, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.
Lehigh 4, IUPUI 3
IUPUI swept doubles in the nightcap with
Blessing Benibo and Morehart teaming up for a 6-4 win at No. 2 and Moody and Kozerski winning 6-4 at No. 3. Jochim and Ciszewski led 5-4 at the No. 1 spot when the point was decided.
IUPUI had a 3-1 lead in the match as Morehart continued his hot play with a quick win at No. 4 singles over Lehigh's Jordan Paul, 6-3, 6-1. Kozerski fell at No. 3 6-4, 6-3, but Ciszewski won at No. 2 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 to put the Jaguars on the precipice of victory.
However, IUPUI was unable to get the decisive fourth point as Lehigh's Jackson Morash defeated Benibo at No. 5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 and Aristoteli Bezianis knocked off Mercer at No. 6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
Matt Keliman was able to dispatch Jochim at No. 1 6-7 (7-4), 6-3, 6-2 in the clincher.
The Jaguars will return home and open Horizon League play on Sunday (Mar. 19) when they host Chicago State at 3:00 p.m. at West Indy Racquet Club.
