By: The top of the lineup paid immediate dividends for the Blueboys as Miguel Vaca dominated his No. 1 singles match on Sunday.
Match Results
GALESBURG, Ill. – The Illinois College men's tennis team began the 2016 season with an 8-1 loss to Simpson College on Sunday in a neutral-site match in Galesburg. The Blueboys fell behind after losing all three doubles matches and couldn't make up the deficit, falling to 0-1 on the season while the Storm improved their record to 2-1.
There were a total of four collegiate debuts on the morning for Illinois College. Freshmen
Miguel Vaca and
Michael Connolly played Nos. 1 and 2 in singles, and teamed up to form the No. 1 doubles team as well. They had the best showing of any team in doubles, falling by a score of 8-6.
Behind 3-0 with six singles matches ahead of them, losses at Nos. 4, 5 and 6 clinched the match for Simpson and the remaining three matches moved to pro sets.
Brandon Hollenbeck – one of the two returners currently on the roster – fell at No. 4. Newcomers
Ryan Golab-Vice and
Austin Franceschelli lost at Nos. 5 and 6. At No. 3,
T.J. Lawal was defeated, 8-0. Connolly suffered an 8-3 setback at No. 2. Vaca supplied the lone point of the day for IC with a commanding 8-1 victory in the match at No. 1.
Illinois College will get back into action on Feb. 13 with two matches at Principia College in Elsah, Ill. The Blueboys meet the Panthers at 9 a.m., then will go up against Millikin University in a neutral-site match at 12 p.m.
