Contact: Alex Mielcarz, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, ajmielcarz@noctrl.edu
HANOVER PARK, Ill. (Feb. 28, 2026) – Playing its second match in as many days, the North Central College men's tennis program dropped the front end of its split double header on Saturday, coming up just one point short against Grinnell College, which claimed the match 4-3. Andres Valverde Gonzalez improved to 5-2 in singles matches this Spring with a victory in his contest.
North Central (2-5) continued its hot streak in doubles, clinching its third straight doubles point on the season. Grinnel's (7-1) pair claimed the first match in doubles over Philipp Wottgen and Rafael Lessa, but the dynamic duo of Henry Ros and Valverde Gonzalez won their fifth straight duos match, taking this one 6-3. The Cardinals were able to claim the doubles match in the decisive third pairing. Matt Crossland and David Vilarroig Martinez teamed up to control their match, winning it 6-2, and clinching the doubles point for North Central.
Grinnell answered back with victories in the No. 1 singles match and the No. 2 singles match.
The Cardinals answered back with a pair of wins themselves. Valverde Gonzalez won his contest in three sets 3-6.6-3, 1-0. He outscored his opponent 10-3 in the tiebreaking third set. North Central took the lead back in the match in the No. 4 singles contest, as Lessa navigated a tight third-set tiebreaker to give the Cardinals a 3-2 advantage in the match.
Lessa dropped the first set 6-3, but won the second by the same margin (6-3). HE then held off his opponent in the tiebreaker game, edging it out by just two points, 10-8.
Grinnell claimed the last two singles matches to clinch its narrow victory. Ignacio Hernandez Ruiz fell in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, and Vilarroig Martinez dropped his contest, 6-4, 6-4.
The loss was the sixth consecutive loss for the Cardinals at the hands of Grinnell, all on neutral sites. Today's match was the first time the two squads met outside of the state of Florida.
North Central finishes the day with a late-night contest against the Illinois Institute of Technology at the XS Tennis Center in Chicago at 7:30 p.m. Results may not be available until tomorrow morning.
