BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Coming down to the wire, the Illinois Wesleyan University men's tennis team gutted out a 5-4 victory over Central College Friday night, March 1. With the win, the Titans improve to 5-1, while Central drops to 0-7.
Starting in doubles action, sophomore Ian Turnbull (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) and junior Ryan McCoy (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Rolling Meadows) pulled out an 8-7 (5) victory at No. 1. Freshman Thad Dillow (Effingham, Ill.-Effingham) and sophomore Griffin Hammond (Metamora, Ill.-Metamora Township) gave the Titans a 2-1 advantage in doubles action, winning at No. 3 doubles, 8-6.
The Titans got three victories in singles action to secure the triumph, winning at No. 2, 4, and 5. Sophomore Ben Vigneri (Casper, Wyo.-Phillips Exeter Academy) went the full three sets to gut out a win, utilizing set scores of 7-5, 2-6, 10-7. Dillow stayed hot in his match, as he took the first set, 6-2, before winning a tiebreaker in the second, 7-6 (6), at No. 4. Junior Zeke Cross (Springfield, Ill.-Springfield) secured the win for the Green and White, winning the No. 5 singles match. After dropping the opening set, 6-2, Cross evened the contest with a 6-4 second set, and locked up the win with a 12-10 victory in the third and final set.
The Titans have a quick turnaround, as they host Greenville University for a 12 p.m. match at Evergreen Racquet Club tomorrow, Saturday, March 2. Results will be posted on iwusports.com upon the completion of the match.
Singles competition
1. Ayden Fletcher (CENM) def. Turnbull, Ian (IWU) 6-4, 5-5 (DNF)
2. Vigneri, Ben (IWU) def. AJ Wilkins (CENM) 7-5, 2-6, 10-7
3. Alejo Marcon (CENM) def. McCoy, Ryan (IWU) 5-7, 7-5, 12-10
4. Dillow, Thad (IWU) def. E. Alvarez Chedzoy (CENM) 6-2, 7-6 (8-6)
5. Cross, Zeke (IWU) def. Travis Subbert (CENM) 2-6, 6-4, 12-10
6. Alex Slaymaker (CENM) def. Hammond, Griffin (IWU) 6-1, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Turnbull, Ian/McCoy, Ryan (IWU) def. AJ Wilkins/Alejo Marcon (CENM) 8-7 (7-5)
2. Ayden Fletcher/Alex Slaymaker (CENM) def. Vigneri, Ben/Cross, Zeke (IWU) 8-6
3. Dillow, Thad/Hammond, Griffin (IWU) def. E. Alvarez Chedzoy/Travis Subbert (CENM) 8-6
