GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Davenport men's tennis team started the 2015 WHAC Tournament on Friday as they beat Lawrence Tech in the tournament quarterfinals, 5-0. In the semifinals of the WHAC Tournament, the Panthers were able to edge crosstown rival Aquinas, 5-4. Davenport will face Northwestern Ohio in the WHAC Championship on Saturday at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex at 11 a.m.
 
In the first match of the day, the Panthers got off to a strong start as they took all three doubles matches to take an early 3-0 lead. Matheus Carvalho and Sam Rogerson took doubles No. 1, 8-6, while Haja Denise and Steven Vink followed with an 8-1 at the second doubles match. Juan-Philip van Antwerpen and Kevin Slagh rounded out doubles with an 8-3 victory.
 
Needing only two wins in singles, Matthew Boyle was able to win in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0, while Carvalho sealed the win for the Panthers with a 6-2, 6-0 win.
 
In the semifinal match against Aquinas, the Saints got off to a strong start as they took the first two doubles, but the duo of van Antwerpen and Slagh picked up a 9-7 win in the finals doubles match to cut the Aquinas lead to, 2-1. In singles, Davenport dropped the first match to fall behind, 3-1, but the Panthers rebounded with three straight wins to take 4-3 lead.
 
Davenport needed just one win over the final two matches with Boyle and Carvalho remaining at singles No. 5 and No. 6, respectively. After Boyle lost in straight sets, Carvalho was able to seal the win for the Panthers once again winning, 6-4, 6-3.
 
Davenport now advances to Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Championship at 11 a.m. on Saturday, where they will face the number overall seed in the tournament in Northwestern Ohio at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex.
 
Tennis Contact: David Gerhart | 616-554-5045 | dgerhart@davenport.edu
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