SHERMAN, TX – Hendrix College visited the Elizabeth Russell Tennis Complex to face a Kangaroo Men's Tennis Team hungry for their first victory.
While the 'Roos would not get the team win, they would win their first courts against an opponent this spring. The Warriors jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in doubles after wet courts delayed the match start time nearly three hours. But the 'Roos would not be deterred by the aggressive Hendrix play going into singles competition.
AC would drop the first set on all but one court. Sophomore Preston Glasscock stepped up and played some of his best tennis of the year, out-grinding his opponent from the baseline and finishing points at the net efficiently by closing down his opponents opportunities to pass. Glasscock would take the 'Roos first point of the short season in dominant fashion, 6-1, 6-0.
Glasscock would open the floodgates in singles for the Men's Tennis Team as both Daniel Oxenreiter and David Smith would finish the match with wins on courts 5 and 6. It would also inspire a formidable baseline to attack strategy from Cedric Ambulo. He would come back from 4-1 and 5-2 deficits in his second set on court 1, but would not be able to get the final break of serve he needed to extend the match at 4-5.
Meendsen would settle into his own groove after Glasscock's victory and forced his opponent to a second-set tiebreaker on court 3. Though he would be unable to take the breaker and send the match to a third and final set, the consistency of his groundstrokes and marked improvement at finishing points from the net looks to carry over into his next opportunity for the first-year standout to get his first spring victory.
Austin College is back in action at UT Tyler and LeTourneau University on Saturday, March 21 at 9am and 2pm.
Austin College 3, Hendrix College 6
March 15, 2015
Elizabeth Russell Tennis Complex
Sherman, TX
Singles Competition
1. Robert Sheets (HC) def. Cedric Ambulo (AC) 6-1, 6-4
2. Ian McVinney (HC) def. Adam Dokos (AC) 6-2, 6-2
3. Karthik Garimella (HC) def. Erik Meendsen (AC) 6-2, 7-6 (3)
4. Preston Glasscock (AC) def. Bob Berardi (HC) 6-1, 6-0
5. Daniel Oxenreiter (AC) def. Kiran Chakka (HC) 8-4
6. David Smith (AC) def. Kristian Lenser (HC) 8-4
Doubles Competition
1. Sheets/Berardi (HC) def. Dokos/Ambulo (AC) 8-4
2. McVinney/Chakka (HC) def. Glasscock/Kubena (AC) 8-3
3. Garimella/Lenser (HC) def. Morgan/Meendsen (AC) 9-7
Match Notes
Order of Finish: Doubles (1, 3, 2) Singles (4, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6)
Austin College: 0-4 (0-1)
Hendrix College: 4-3