Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney tennis teams began their 2025-26 season this past weekend in Kansas City and won 30 matches at the annual Rockhurst Invitational

The two-day tournament featured singles and doubles draws with the host Hawks, Washburn, and McKendree (Ill.) the competition.

A young women's squad saw freshmen Patricija Cechanaviciute (Lithuania) and Hannah Klaiber (Germany) go 2-1 to place third in the top doubles draw. They won their final match over Rockhurst, 6-1. Next, junior Julia Wartecka (Poland) and sophomore Jasmine Ben Aba (Tunisia) both went 2-1 in the Green singles draw. Wartecka was runner up and had a marathon battle against a 'Bod (-5, 2-6, -9) to reach the finals. Ben Aba bounced back from an opening round loss to take each of her next two matches in straight sets. Finally, Cechanaviciute went 2-1 to be second in the top singles draw and beat players from RU and WU in straight sets.

Sophomore Ivan Melnik (German) led the Loper men as he went 3-0 to win the top singles draw and went 3-0 with junior Andy Brisdon (U.K.) to place first in the top doubles draw. Melnik won each singles match in straight sets and then he and Brisdon allowed just 10 combined points. Next, junior Jakub Strzelecki (Poland) went 3-0 in the Green draw, taking each battle in straight sets, and paired with freshman Ilan Fuentes (France) to win the Blue doubles bracket. They went 3-0 and bested two different WU teams. Finally, Brisdon was runner up in the Purple singles draw with freshman Cesare Carpano (Italy) winning two Purple consolation matches.

The Lopers head to Sioux Fall for the Augustana Invite on Saturday.