SOUTH BEND, IND. – In a nip-and-tuck non-conference match-up Thursday, April 7, Manchester University men's tennis squad gave perennial National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' Crossroads League power Bethel College all it could handle.
The Spartans, despite slipping to 1-5 with a narrow 5-4 defeat, battled the host Pilots at every turn. The six singles' matches featured super-breaker deciders at the top three slots, and it was much of the same in doubles with the number one and three spots seeing the losing pairs post four-or-more game victories.
The underclassman trio of sophomores Kyler Love (North Webster, Ind.) and Garrett Bear (Indianapolis, Ind.) and freshman Connor Eichenauer (North Manchester, Ind.) picked up where it left off from the previous afternoon's Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference win over Defiance College. Each of them gained straight-set victories, evening the singles' section after sophomores Isaac Collis (Alexandria, Ind.) and Spencer Thomas (Yorktown, Ind.) and junior Stratton Smith (New Palestine, Ind.) pushed their opponents to the limit but were held off in each case.
BC opened the afternoon leading 2-1 after doubles. The Black and Gold victory came by way of Smith and Thomas at No. 1 (8-5), while Bear and Love gained four game wins at No. 3 but were upended 8-4.
Manchester University's women's squad also faced off against Bethel. Their visit to the South Bend Racquet Club was highlighted by a singles' win from sophomore Erin Cordill (Zionsville, Ind.) and a victory for the doubles pairing of Cordill and freshman Sierra Crane (Bedford, Ind.) as part of a 7-2 Pilots' decision.
MU's men's team resumes a span of four duals in five days Saturday, April 9, taking on Franklin College in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference action at the Warsaw Fitness and Tennis Center. First serve is 12 p.m. The Spartans' women's squad returns to action Wednesday, April 13, hosting Grace College at the school's outdoor courts in North Manchester, weather permitting, in a 4 p.m. start.
NOTE: Bear stretched his singles' win skein to three with a 7-6, 6-4 win over BC's Bobby Eberle. He takes a team-best 3-1 record into the weekend.
