GALESBURG, Ill.- The Illinois Wesleyan men's tennis team improved to 5-0, its best start since 2010-11 with  6-1 wins over both Monmouth College and Principia University.

Match 1: Illinois Wesleyan 6 Monmouth 1

IWU claimed all three doubles matches in dominant fashion. Seniors Ben Vigneri (Casper Wyo.-Phillips Exeter) and Ian Turnbull (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) defeated Matthew Savage and Antonio Perez, 6-1, at No. 1 doubles. At two doubles, junior Thad Dillow (Effingham, Ill.-Effingham) and senior Griffin Hammond (Metamora, Ill.-Metamora) cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 win against Macaden Sepich and Cadan De Jong. Junior Chase Tomecki (Downers Grove, Ill.-Downers Grove South) and freshman Will Ehrlich (Springfield, Ill.-Glenwood) completed the sweep with a 6-1 win at No. 3 doubles over Alfonso Mares and Ashur Carthan.

In singles play, Vigneri got the top spot win over Savage, 6-0, 6-1. At the two line, Dillow beat Perez, 6-0, 6-3 Hammond sprinted to a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 3 singles over De Jong. Ehrlich took down Sepich, 6-1, 6-1, at four singles, while freshman Truman Raher (Peoria, Ill-Richwoods) remained perfect on the season with a 6-1, 6-1 defeat of Mares.

Match 2: Illinois Wesleyan 6 Principia 1

The Titans once again swept the doubles portion led by a 6-0 win from Ehrlich and Raher at three doubles over Ethan Hoff and Ishmael Ochieng. A 6-2 win from Turnbull and Vigneri over Jesus Soto and Alvaro Moliz gave the Titans the point before Dillow and Hammond secured the sweep with a 7-6 (5) victory against Ernesto Botero and Alfredo Boly.

Ehrlich and Raher led the way for IWU with 6-0, 6-0 wins at the five and six spots, respectively. Hammond defeated Boly, 6-1, 6-0 at four singles. Turnbull rounded out the session with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Soto at the top spot. 

IWU returns home to take on Olivet Nazarene University and Greenville University, Saturday, Feb. 28 with the opening match scheduled for 10:15 a.m.



Illinois Wesleyan 6 vs Monmouth 1
Doubles:
1. Turnbull Ian/Vigneri, Ben (IWU) def. Savage. Matthew (Monmouth) 6-1
2. Dillow Thad, Hammond, Griffin (IWU) def. Sepich, Macaden/De Jong, Cadan (Monmouth) 6-1
3. Ehrlich, Will/Tomecki, Chase (IWU) def. Mares, Alfonso/Carthan, Ashur (Monmouth) 6-1

Singles:
1. Vigneri, Ben (IWU) def. Savage, Matthew (Monmouth) 6-0, 6-1
2. Dillow, Thad (IWU) def. Perez, Antonio (Monmouth) 6-0, 6-3
3. Hammond, Griffin (IWU) def. De Jong, Cadan (Monmouth) 6-1, 6-0
4. Ehrlich, Will (IWU) def. Sepich, Macaden (Monmouth) 6-1, 6-1
5. Raher, Truman (IWU) def. Mares, Alfonso (Monmouth) 6-1, 6-1
6. Sims, Chase (Monmouth) def. Tomecki, Chase (IWU) 7-5, 6-0

Illinois Wesleyan 6 vs Principia 1

Doubles: 
1. Turnbull, Ian/Vigneri Ben (IWU) def. Soto, Jesus/Moliz, Alvaro Martin (Principia) 6-2
2. Dillow, Thad/Hammond, Griffin (IWU) def. Botero, Ernesto/Boly, Alfredo (Principia) 7-6 (5)
3. Ehrlich, Will/Raher, Truman (IWU) def. Hoff, Ethan/Ochieng, Ishmael (Principia) 6-0

Singles:
1. Turnbull, Ian (IWU) def. Soto, Jesus (Principia) 6-3, 6-4
2. Botero, Ernesto (Principia) def. Vigneri, Ben (IWU) 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5)
3. Dillow, Thad (IWU) def. Moliz, Alvaro Martin (Principia) 6-1, 6-0
4. Hammond, Griffin (IWU) def. Boly, Alfredo (Principia) 6-1, 6-0
5. Ehrlich, Will (IWU) def. Hoff, Ethan (Principia) 6-0, 6-0
6. Raher, Truman (IWU) def. Ochieng, Ishmael (Principia) 6-0, 6-0