Contact: Drew Sauer, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Box Score

KENOSHA, Wis. (Feb. 8, 2020) – In a match that was decided by the final set, the North Central College men's tennis team suffered its first loss of the season in a narrow 5-4 battle at the hands of Luther College on Saturday in a non-conference dual inside Life Sport Athletic Club.

North Central (2-1) had to fight back from a 3-0 deficit after doubles play and narrowly pulled off the comeback, winning four of the six singles matches.  Colten Way put the Cardinals on the board with a swift 6-0, 6-2 win over Grant Morton at the No. 3 position, before Andy Hinch cut the Luther lead 3-2 with a 6-2, 7-6 victory over Brook Norwood at No. 4.

Continuing to narrow the margin, Guillermo Gonzalez Fernandez tied the match score three all with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Cole Schneider atop the lineup, before Javier Suarez Balsera gave the Cardinals the lead with a victory over Nyathi Notlojoa in straight 6-2 sets at No. 2.

After a Luther win at the No. 5 position and match score knotted 4-4, only Jeremiah Joyce and Charlie Weill were left on the court, battling at the No. 6 singles position, as Joyce gained the early lead with a hard fought 7-6 win in the opening set.  Weill rebounded nicely however, taking the second set 6-2 before an identical 6-2 victory in the third to clinch the match for Luther (1-0).

The Cardinals return to action on Friday, Feb. 14 in another non-conference dual, taking on Illinois Institute of Technology inside Vaughan Tennis Center in Aurora, Illinois with matches scheduled for 6 p.m.
 
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