INDIANAPOLIS – The men's and women's tennis teams competed in their second home matches Saturday (Feb. 17) afternoon, with the men winning 4-0 and the women falling 6-1, both to Lindenwood.
The women's team got play started at the West Indy Raquet Club in the early afternoon, having just five players and going down 2-0 due to two wins by default for the Lions. The No. 2 doubles match that featured Elle Kotre and Gabbie Orlando went in favor of Lindenwood, 6-3, awarding the visitors the doubles point. At the No. 1 spot, Bailey and Emma Dell's match went unfinished after being up 5-3 in the opening set.
The Jags earned an early point in singles play when Chloe Bailey won the No. 1 singles match against Yana Gaskell, 6-2, 6-1. In the Nos. 2 and 3 singles matches the Jags were in tight matches before eventually being edged out 6-4, 6-4. Sofia Castillo battled hard in the opening set of the No. 5 singles match but was outlasted, 7-6, before falling 6-1 in the second set.
On the men's side, the Jaguars earned the doubles point with Will Thurin and Noah Viste making quick work in the No. 2 match, 6-1, and Steven Paz and Luka Rodic taking care of the No. 3 match, 6-3. The No. 1 doubles match went unfinished.
Singles play also saw three matches go unfinished (Nos. 1, 2 and 4) after Paz, Rodic and Eli Mercer took care of business in the Nos. 3, 5 and 6 positions, respectively. Paz's match was tight from the first serve, battling with Lindenwood's Nathan Matsuguma to a 6-4, 7-5 finish. Fernando Martin Paz put up a good fight against Rodic in the first set, 6-3, but the graduate student from Croatia made quick work of the second frame, 6-0. Mercer's match went in similar fashion, 6-3, 6-0.
The women will return to West Indy Raquet Club tomorrow for a dual match against Colorado with an early start of 9:30 a.m. while the men have a week to prepare for a contest against Louisville next Saturday (Feb. 24).
