CALEDONIA, Mich. - The final regular season match on Saturday against Purdue Northwest was about as perfect as could be for the men's tennis team. The squad honored four seniors before the match and the weather was the best it has been this spring. The 7-0 win over the Pride was just icing on the cake as the Panthers improved to 17-6 overall and 3-4 in the conference.
Juan-Louis van Antwerpen,
Jonathan Bulmer,
Bobby Tarrant, and
Juan Jose Pino Contoleon had the chance to bask in the moment during their final home match played at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex under sunny skies and temperatures in the 70's.
The Panthers needed the win to secure a spot in the upcoming GLIAC Tournament. DU finished in a tie for fourth and will be the fourth seed when the tournament begins on April 29 at the Greater Midland Tennis Center. The Panthers will face the hometown Timberwolves of Northwood who is the fifth seed and finished with an identical 3-4 GLIAC record. DU defeated the Timberwolves 7-0 back on March 25. The match will start at 10 AM if play is outdoors and 1 PM if play is moved indoors.
The Panthers won all three matchups in doubles to set the tone. van Antwerpen and Bulmer, the most dynamic doubles tandem in school history, teamed up one final time at home for a 6-4 win at one doubles against Miguel Cepeda and Levent Evyapan. Bulmer earned his 80th career doubles win, the most in school history. van Antwerpen won in doubles for the 71st time which is third in school history.
Quintan van Wijk and
Joel Mast at two doubles won 6-4 over Luca Kirchhoff and Bjorgvin Juliusson.
Daniil Khitrou and
Maxim Drinchich at three doubles won 6-1 over Luis Alvear and Marcos Gutierrez. The six singles portion saw the Panthers take all of those in straight sets. van Antwerpen picked up his 63rd career singles win, second most in school history, with a 6-3, 6-2 triumph at two singles over Kirchhoff. Bulmer got his 69th career singles win, most in school history, with a 6-2, 6-0 victory at three singles over Evyapan.
Mast at four singles won 6-1, 6-0 against Juliusson. van Wijk at one singles won 6-3, 6-4 over Cepeda. Khitrou won his match at five singles as he took the first set 7-6 and then his opponent was dismissed for unsportsmanlike behavior. Contoleon at six singles won his match over Paul Hawes by scores of 6-3, 6-2.
