Men's Box Score | Women's Box Score
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Both the men's and women's tennis teams fell on Saturday, the men at NCAA Division 3 Hope College and the women at home against No. 14 Indiana Wesleyan. Both teams fell behind early dropping two of the three doubles matches which they wouldn't be able to overcome on the singles side.
On the Men's side, Davenport's number one doubles team of Jeff Karasinski (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and Victor Roland (Natal, Brazil) and number three doubles team of Eric Pell (Caledonia, Mich.) and Tyler Chambers (Rockford, Mich.) each lost their doubles matches 8-4. The number two doubles team of Vitaly Schumilov (Togliatti, Russia) and Matt Weiden (Kentwood, Mich.) came back from a 4-5 hole to take the match 8-5. “(It was a) rough bout at doubles but the 8-5 victory from being down 4-5 at two doubles kept us in it going into singles,” said Head Coach Patrick Grashorn.
The Panthers fell in a larger hole when the five and six singles lost giving Hope a 4-1 advantage with four matches to play. Jeff Karasinski and Vitaly Shuilov eached cruised in straight sets to pull Davenport within one. After dropping the first set, Victor Roland came back and won the match 7-6 (2) in the third set. With the matches tied at 4-4, Matt Weiden forced a final set and battled back from a 1-4 deficit in the third set but was unable to complete the comeback falling 7-5.
The women got off to a similar start against fourteenth-ranked Indiana Wesleyan. The sister duo of Diana Favela (San Luis Potosi, Mexico) and Denisse Favela (San Luis Potosi, Mexico) got things started for Davenport winning their doubles match 8-5. Davenport's number two doubles team of Stephanie Fortney (Allegan, Mich.)and Erin Hossack (Dearborn, Mich.) came back from a 4-1 deficit to take a 7-6 lead but wouldn't be able to take another game as Indiana Wesleyan won the match 9-7. Indiana Wesleyan won the third doubles match 8-1.
The Favela sisters continued their strong play with both sisters winning their singles matches in straight sets. Stevie Fortney rebounded from a tough doubles loss and won her singles match 6-4, 6-2. The depth of the Indiana Wesleyan team was too much for the Panthers as they won the final three singles matches to take the match 5-4. “It is promising to see us competing and beating top national powers at the top of the lineup,” said Grashorn.
Both teams make the trip to Lima, Ohio to take on Northwestern Ohio on Sunday. Northwestern Ohio is receiving votes in the NAIA top-25 poll on both the men's and women's side.
