Max Rozas helped Grace to a sweep of Bethel on Saturday. File photo courtesy Grace College Sports Information

Grace Men 7, Bethel 0

The Grace men’s tennis team opened the 2021-22 season with style, sweeping to a 7-0 victory over rival Bethel in Crossroads League action. The match was the first of a scheduled double-header hosted by Mount Vernon Nazarene, but the second match of the day was canceled due to extreme heat.

The duo of Ivan Antinori and David Sandi started off the scoring with a quick 6-2 victory at No. 3 doubles. Milan Savic and Kye Barrett confirmed the doubles point, winning 6-3 at No. 3, while the No. 1 pair of Max Rozas

and Fabricio Galvan cruised to a 6-1 win.

All six singles matches were won by the Lancers in straight sets. Rozas won 6-4, 6-2 at No. 1 singles and Sandi took No. 2 singles 6-1, 6-0. Galvan played at No. 3, winning 6-2, 6-2, while Antinori won 6-4, 6-1 at No. 4. Francisco Margaria took the court at No. 5 singles and was victorious 6-1, 6-1, and Nic Graber captured his No. 6 match 6-0, 6-3.

Grace (1-0) will host Lawrence Tech at the Miller Field Courts on September 2. At this time there is no make-up date for the match with Mount Vernon Nazarene.

Grace Women 9, Bethel 0

The Lancer women’s tennis team quickly grabbed the doubles point and went on to sweep rival Bethel in the season-opener for both squads. Grace (1-0) was also scheduled to play host Mount Vernon Nazarene in the Crossroads League double-header, but the second match was canceled due to extreme heat.

The three double matches all went to the Lancers, with Lydia Ruegsegger and Kiersten Martin posting a 6-3 win at No. 1. Lauryn Riegsecker and Anna Graves captured No. 2 by the same 6-3 score, while Morgan Mast and Jenna Lewis grabbed No. 3 doubles 6-1.

Several of the singles matches were more competitive, with two being decided by a “super set”. Ruegsegger pulled out No. 1 singles 7-5, 3-6, 10-3, and Riegsecker won at No.4 by a score of 6-4, 3-6, 10-8. Graves had the easiest match, winning 6-2, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. Mast won at the No.3 spot 7-6, 6-4, Lewis won 6-3, 6-4 at No. 5 and Martin took No. 6 singles 7-5, 6-1.

“The girls were a little tight early in singles,” said Coach Marcus Moore. “They were excited for the year to start and there’s always some anxiousness playing against a rival. Thankfully, they stepped up at big moments.”

The women’s squad will play again on September 3 when they host IU Kokomo. No make up date has been deteremined at this time for the match with Mount Vernon Nazarene.

Wawasee 2-1 At Bremen Invite

Wawasee collected a pair of team wins among its three contests at the Bremen Invite at DeSantis Park.

The Warriors enjoyed straight set wins from Joey Harper and its two doubles team of Ty Brooks and Devon Kuhn in putting away Fremont 4-1. In round two, Wawasee swept North Judson 5-0, losing just four points on its two and three singles along with both doubles contests. In round three, defending regional champion Bremen handed Wawasee a 4-1 loss. Holden Babb had the lone Warrior point, taking out Carson Miller 6-3, 6-4.