ERIC THIELE ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
The men’s tennis team beat Central for the first time in 37 years Saturday in “the W” 7-2 and Augustana College (Ill.) 7-2.
In No. 1 singles, Mitch Eslick defeated Dan Bowser, 6-2 and 6-3.
The Knights also saw the No. 2 singles player, Chris Buckingham, top Seth Harris, 6-3 and 6-0.
In No. 3 singles, Tom Koenen defeated Jacob Dreyer, 6-0 and 6-0.
“I really think that everyone was outstanding, but Tom Koenen was phenomenal,” Eslick said.
The lone defeat for the Knights came in No. 4 singles play as Central’s Bryn Boswell beat Andrew Kahler, 2-6, 6-4 and 10-8.
In No. 5 singles, Brian Rasmussen defeated Jacob Veldhuizen, 7-5 and 6-2 and in No. 6 singles, Aaron Masterson defeated Nick Schnicker, 6-4 and 6-3.
In No. 1-doubles, the team of Koenen and Eslick defeated Bowser and Boswell, 8-5.
In No. 2 doubles, Central’s Dreyer and Harris defeated the Knights team of Kahler and James Nguyen, 8-2.
The team of Buckingham and Rasmussen defeated Schnicker and Veldhuizen, 9-7.
The win over Central marks the first time Wartburg has won over Central in 37 years.
The Knights also defeated Augustana College (Ill.), winning 7-2.
Eslick defeated Adam DeSimone, 6-3 and 6-0 in No. 1 singles match.
In No. 2 singles, Buckingham defeated Will Palmer, 6-4, 6-7 and 10-6.
In No. 3 singles, Koenen topped Chris Mullen in shut out fashion, 6-0 and 6-0.
In No. 4 singles, Kahler defeated Kyle Doyle 6-1, 2-6, and 10-8.
In No. 6 singles, Masterson defeated Austin Boyle, 3-6, 6-1 and 10-3.
In No. 5 singles, Rasmussen was unable to pull out his second singles victory of the day as he was defeated by Jack Cullen, 6-4, 1-6 and 10-8.
In No. 1 doubles, Eslick and Koenen continued their winning ways as they shut out the team of DeSimone and Mullin, 8-0.
In No. 3 doubles, Buckingham and Rasmussen defeated Cullen and Palmer, 8-5.
In No. 2 doubles, Kahler and Nguyen came up just short against the Augustana team of Doyle and Nik Lehnert, as they were defeated, 9-7.
With two victories for the Knights, Wartburg improves their overall record to 7-10 and 3-2 in the IIAC.
Eslick said he was proud of how the guys performed yesterday.
“From top to bottom that is the best that I have seen our team play in a very long time and everyone gave it everything they had in every match,” Eslick said.
The next match for the Knights will be Friday in Decorah against Luther at 10 a.m.
“Luther is an oustanding team. We are going to go into that match with really nothing to lose and just enjoy the opportunity to play against them,” Eslick said.
Photo courtesy of Sports Information