Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

CHICAGO (Feb. 11, 2023) - Taking on the defending national champions and current No. 1 in the country, the North Central College men's tennis team fell to the University of Chicago before rebounding to sweep the Illinois Institute of Technology in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader at XS Tennis.

Ramon Vilarroig Martinez and Guillermo Gonzalez Fernandez battled against the Maroons' No. 1 doubles team but ultimately fell 8-5 as UChicago swept doubles play. In singles action, Matthew Sengphommachanh took his match to three sets but lost to Emil Grantcharov 7-6, 4-6, 4-10 as the Maroons won 9-0 for the match.

In the second match of the day, North Central found their rhythm as all three doubles teams cruised to wins. Vilarroig Martinez/Javier Suarez Balsera won 8-2 in the No. 1 spot, Colten Way. Brayden Kopp won 8-2 at No. 2, and Daniel Estanislao/Sengphommachanh won 8-3 to secure the doubles sweep.

Way locked up the first singles victory for the Cardinals with a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 5 before Estanislao clinched the win for North Central with a 6-0, 6-4 win at No, 3. Vilarroig Martinez, Suarez Balsera, Sengphommachanh, and Kopp also took home victories at their respective positions.

North Central returns to the court on Saturday as they compete in another doubleheader as Coe College and the Milwaukee School of Engineering head to Naperville. 

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