Men’s and Women’s tennis both fell in their home opener against Grace College this past Saturday. The men’s team lost 6-1 and the women lost 7-0.
Senior Filippo Bigardi began the men’s singles by winning the first set 6-4, but Grace’s Maximilliano Rozas battled back to win the next two 6-3 and 6-1.Senior Juan Migel Ciudad was close to putting the Maple Leafs on the board as he stepped onto the court. He narrowly missed out on the first set as he lost it to a tiebreaker 7-6(5). Ciudad then looked to take the second set but fell short as he lost 7-5.
Goshen’s Martim Cafe, a junior, was able to secure a Maple Leafs singles win as he defeated Grace’s Ramiro Candia 6-2 in both set. Sophomore Josh Friesen looked to follow Cafe’s lead as he won his first set 7-5. But the Lancers Milan Savic was able to fight back to win the next sets 7-6(3) and 6-3.
On the doubles side, the team of junior Dan Boussom and Friesen won 6-4, giving Goshen their only win and point of the day in the doubles match up. Grace took the No. 1 doubles 6-2, and the team of Bigardi and senior Luke Rush fell 6-4.
Grace continued their torment of the Maple Leafs on the women’s side as Goshen was unable to secure a single set.
No.1 singles Sarah Hinshaw, a first year, lost both her sets to Grace’s Emily Mast 6-1 and 6-2. The Lady Lancers then went on to dominate the rest of the singles matchups.
The women’s doubles didn’t fare any better as the team of sophomore Victoria Oakes, and first-year Anna Osborne went down 6-0. Goshen’s duo of Hinshaw and Hannah McCoy, a first year, put up a fight, but they weren’t enough for the Lancer’s as they fell 6-4.
Both men’s and women’s tennis look to shake off this loss as they continue conference play on Wednesday, Sept. 4. The Maple Leafs will travel to Granger, Indiana, to take on close rivals Bethel College.
