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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Narindra Ranaivo & Tanya Midzi
Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications
4
Winner Washburn WU (12-1 (3-0))
3
Nebraska Kearney UNK-W (13-4 (3-1))
Winner
Washburn WU
(12-1 (3-0))
4
Final
3
Nebraska Kearney UNK-W
(13-4 (3-1))
4
Winner Washburn WU (12-3 (2-0))
3
Nebraska Kearney UNK-M (9-13 (1-3))
Winner
Washburn WU
(12-3 (2-0))
4
Final
3
Nebraska Kearney UNK-M
(9-13 (1-3))

Match Recap: Men's Tennis |

UNK Pushes Top 12 Washburn But Falls in the End

Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney tennis teams battled but fell to Top 12 Washburn by identical 4-3 scores Saturday at the Ernest Grundy Tennis Center in Kearney.

Due to cold temperatures and wind, the duals were moved inside from Harmon Park.

In the morning, the 11th-ranked Ichabods women (12-1, 3-0) needed to win at one and four singles to get past the 15th-ranked Lopers (13-4, 3-1).  

UNK erased a 1-0 deficit by sweeping four, five and two singles. Senior Masha Hatouka (Belarus) had another tough victory at five (-4, -6) with fellow veteran Narindra Ranaivo (Madagascar) now up to 166 career combined wins after a 6-1, 6-3, decision at two. She needs just two more wins to set a school-record. However, WU grinded out wins at one (-4, -6) and four (-5, -5) to even the series, 8-8, since the 2010 season.

The 'Bods men's squad (12-3, 2-0) came in ranked seventh nationally but were more than pushed by a 43-ranked Loper team (9-13, 1-3) using a different singles lineup.

The Blue & Gold took a 1-0 lead thanks to wins at two and three doubles. Graduate Aaron Osmond (U.K.) and sophomore Tom van den Dungen (Netherlands) upset the eighth-ranked pair of Cecchtti and Schneider, 6-4, to secure the team point. Osmond and van den Dungen have been nationally-ranked over the past two seasons. 

Polish southpaw Jakub Strzelecki gave UNK a 2-0 lead with a win at six singles (-2, -2) but the 'Bods took the next four matches to secure the dual. Two of the wins came in three sets (two and three singles). At one, 46th-ranked Jip Mens (Netherlands) completed a long day by upsetting third-ranked Tim Hammes in three sets (4-6, -3, -5). He led the first set 4-1 before a late rally by Hammes; he moves to a 17-4 in dual matches this year. Finally, this was Mens fifth match (3-2) in the top spot. 

UNK closes out the home slate next weekend at Harmon Park against Arkansas-Fort Smith and Northeastern State (women only).
 
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