Men's Tennis | 2/4/2019 9:57:00 AM

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Panthers had two matches this past weekend to open up their 2019 portion of the season. Davenport took on NCAA Division I opponent Eastern Illinois at the MVP Sportsplex and then traveled to NCAA Division II opponent Hillsdale College the next day. Against Eastern Illinois Davenport held their own but lost by a score of 4-2. In the match against Hillsdale, the Panthers lost by one point, 4-3, to an undefeated Chargers squad.
 
Davenport vs Eastern Illinois
In the doubles competitions, Eastern Illinois gained one point by winning two of the three matches. The duo of Remy Johansen and Michael Digby won 6-2 in first doubles, but DU lost in two doubles and three doubles.
 
Juan-Louis van Antwerpen and Jonathan Bulmer held their own in singles. Bulmer won 6-2 and 6-4 in fourth singles, while van Antwerpen won 6-2 in both sets to earn a point in third singles. Johansen's match in first singles went unfinished due to Eastern Illinois earning their fourth team point.
 
Davenport at Hillsdale
The Panthers were down one point after the doubles portion of the match, losing two of the matches and winning one. The duo of Matthew McClurg and Bulmer won 6-3 in two doubles.
 
Davenport split 3-3 in singles with the Chargers. McClurg, van Antwerpen, and Bulmer all won their respective matches. McClurg won 7-6 and 6-1 in two singles, van Antwerpen won 6-4 and 7-5 in three singles, while Bulmer won a close three-set match in four singles 7-6, 3-6, and 6-4.
 
Story by: Devin Steiner
 
Picture credit: Tyler Triemstra