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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Team Huddle 2018
UNK Athletics
2
Washburn WU (6-2 (1-1))
7
Winner Nebraska Kearney UNKMEN (9-2 (1-0))
Washburn WU
(6-2 (1-1))
2
Final
7
Nebraska Kearney UNKMEN
(9-2 (1-0))
Winner
4
Washburn WU (7-3 (3-1))
5
Winner Nebraska Kearney UNKWOMEN (8-4 (1-2))
Washburn WU
(7-3 (3-1))
4
Final
5
Nebraska Kearney UNKWOMEN
(8-4 (1-2))
Winner
0
Emporia State ESU (1-5 (0-3))
9
Winner Nebraska Kearney UNKWOMEN (9-4 (2-2))
Emporia State ESU
(1-5 (0-3))
0
Final
9
Nebraska Kearney UNKWOMEN
(9-4 (2-2))
Winner
4
Emporia State ESU (9-2 (0-1))
5
Winner Nebraska Kearney UNKMEN (10-2 (2-0))
Emporia State ESU
(9-2 (0-1))
4
Final
5
Nebraska Kearney UNKMEN
(10-2 (2-0))
Winner

Match Recap: Men's Tennis |

Kearney Sweeps Ichabods & Hornets

Kearney, Neb. – The regionally-ranked Nebraska-Kearney tennis teams both had great weekends as the Lopers swept Washburn, 7-2 (men) and 5-4 (women), Friday night in Grand Island and Emporia State, 5-4 (men) and 9-0 (women), Saturday at Harmon Park.

Both Loper squads are ranked sixth in the Central Region. The men (10-2, 2-0 MIAA) have now won five straight with the women improving to 9-4 (2-2 MIAA).

It was a marathon dual against the 21st-ranked Ichabod men (6-2, 1-1) Friday night. To pull off the upset the Loper men won a series of close single matches to avenge last year's 5-4 setback in Topeka.

Kearney grabbed a 2-1 lead after doubles as senior Joey Richards (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and freshman Alberto Diaz (Spain) won 8-4 in the second spot with juniors 30969Pepe Balado (Spain) and Johnnie Carmichael (England) taking their number three match by an 8-6 score.

Washburn's Alejandro Valarezo Plaza, Division II's fourth ranked singles player, tied things up with a straight set win at number one  (6-3, 6-4) but UNK took the other five matches. Amazingly, four of those were decided in three sets.

Richards outlasted Chase Brill at number five (3-6, 6-1, 7-5), Diaz did the same at number six (5-7, 7-6, 10-4) with Carmichael getting by Paul Haase (6-4, 5-7, 7-5) at number three. Freshman Dias Meiirbek (Kazakhstan) was the hero as he won a 3.5 hour number four singles match by a 6-7 (8), 7-5, 7-5 score. His win was the dual clincher. 

Against the Hornets (9-2, 0-1), ranked ninth in the Central, Richards and Diaz improved to 11-0 with an 8-5 win at number two doubles. However, E-State led 2-1 heading into singles.

While ESU won two third-set tiebreakers at number two and three singles, the Lopers won in straight sets at four through six in the lineup. Finally, freshman Sri Aakash Reddiyar (Malaysia) won in the top spot; 6-1, 4-6, 6-1. Last year, the Hornets nipped the Lopers by a 5-4 score.

On the women's side, ESU (1-5, 0-3) competed only at number one and two doubles, dropping both. They then defaulted the other seven matches to give UNK an easy win.

Things were much tougher Friday night against a Washburn squad (7-3, 3-1) that came in ranked ninth in the Central. UNK led 2-1 after doubles as junior Yuxiu "Sherry" Sun (China) and freshman Claire Neil (Papillion) won 8-6 at the third spot.

While senior Amanda Alvarez (Spain) won her number two singles match in straight sets (6-0, 6-3), Papillion senior Emma Neil needed to win a third-set tie breaker to win a crucial team point at number four. She bested Alysha Nowacki by a 6-1, 1-6, 6-0 score to improve to 8-4 on the dual season. Finally, junior Camryn Parnell (Lee's Summit, Mo.) secured the dual with a 6-2, 6-3 win at number five. That is her first singles win in a dual this year.

UNK heads to South Carolina for its annual Spring Break trip. The Loper face Division III Carleton College of Minnesota on Wednesday and the Erskine (S.C.) College Flying Fleet Friday in Hilton Head. Another dual will be added to the schedule.
 
 
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