Ben Vigneri returning a shot against Lawrence March 8, 2026

Audrey Peterson

Men’s Tennis Takes Down Lawrence

Titans improve to 7-2

3/8/2026 7:10:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's tennis team defeated Lawrence University, 5-2, Sunday, March 8, inside Evergreen Racquet Club. The win propels the Titans to 7-2 on the year, while LU falls to 4-10.

Illinois Wesleyan opened the match by taking the one-point decision in doubles. Seniors Ben Vigneri (Casper, Wyo.-Phillips Exeter Academy) and Ian Turnbull (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) dominated Ben Hoppe and Gabriel Garcia in the top singles spot, taking it quickly with a score of 6-0. Junior Thad Dillow (Effingham, Ill.-Effingham) and senior Griffin Hammond (Metamora, Ill.-Metamora Township) rallied in the tiebreaker to best Owen Horton and David Rothman at No. 2 doubles, securing the majority point. After Lawrence came back to force a tiebreaker, Dillow and Hammond went down 3-0 in extras. The two rallied with six straight points and ultimately secured the win with a score of 7-6(5).

The Titans used the momentum to fuel them in singles play. Playing in the top singles spot, Vigneri picked up a win over Hoppe with scores of 6-2, 6-1. At No. 2 singles, Dillow defeated Garcia behind scores of 6-0, 6-3. A win by freshman Will Ehrlich (Springfield, Ill.-Glenwood) in the fourth singles spot secured the victory for the Green and White. Ehrlich downed Will Phillips 7-6(4), 7-5. Freshman Truman Raher (Peoria, Ill.-Richwoods) rounded out the win at No. 5 singles, needing all three sets to defeat Lawrence's Will Lewis. Raher dropped the opening set, 7-5, but responded by winning the last two, 6-2, 6-3.

IWU completes its stretch of home contests, and turns its attention to the annual spring break trip. The Titans will head to Orlando, Fla., Sunday-Wednesday, March 15-18, for four matches over four days.

Doubles
1. Turnbull, Ian/Vigneri, Ben (IWU) def. Hoppe, Ben/Garcia, Gabriel (LU) 6-0
2. Dillow, Thad/Hammond, Griffin (IWU) def. Horton, Owen/Rotham, David (LU) 7-6(5)
3. Myszka, Jonathan/Lewis, Will (LU) def. Ehrlich, Will/Raher, Truman (IWU) 7-5

Singles
1. Vigneri, Ben (IWU) def. Hoppe, Ben (LU) 6-2, 6-1
2. Dillow, Thad (IWU) def. Garcia, Gabriel (LU) 6-0, 6-3
3. Horton, Owen (LU) def. Hammond, Griffin (IWU) 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-2
4. Ehrlich, Will (IWU) def. Phillips, Will (LU) 7-6(4), 7-5
5. Raher, Truman (IWU) def. Lewis, Will (LU) 5-7, 6-2, 6-3
6. Myszka, Jonathan (LU) def. Tomecki, Chase (IWU) 7-5, 6-1

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