KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The No. 67 ranked Western Michigan men's tennis is seemingly peaking at the right moment after a pair of wins today to push its winning streak to four matches. As Mid-American Conference play begins, the Broncos stand at 12-4 overall and have won nine of their last 10 matches with a 6-1 win over Aquinas College and a 7-0 win over Grand Valley State.
Against the Saints, the Broncos took two of the three doubles matches as the duos of junior Daniel Loebel/senior Ruben Greiner and junior Matt Hamilton/sophomore Maik Steiner were victorious. In singles play, five WMU players earned wins and none of those five dropped a set throughout the match. Loebel earned the first win of the day, defeating Chase Peery 6-1, 6-1 before Andrew Cahn won 6-0, 6-3 at No. 6. Steiner was the clinching match, winning 6-2, 6-3 at No. 1. Ruben Greiner moved his match winning streak to nine with a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 3 while Jefta Kecic won 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2.
Against the Lakers, the Broncos earned the doubles point with the duo of Payne and Schnobel defeating Michael Kaye and Nicholas Urba 6-2 at No. 3 and Loebel and Greiner defeated Alex van de Steenoven and Zach Phillips 6-3 at No. 1 doubles.
In Singles, Matej Svjetlicic defeated Jack Heiniger in straight sets at No. 4 singles 6-0, 6-2 to put the Broncos up 2-0. Hamilton defeated Phillips at No. 2 singles 6-3, 6-1 followed by Jefta Kecic clinching the match with a win at No. 1 singles over van de Steenoven 6-3, 6-2. Andrew Cahn won at No. 5 singles 6-1, 6-3 over Andrew Bole. Greiner picked up the win at at No. 3 singles by defeating Lescoulie 6-3, 7-5. Jed Olivarez finished things off for the Broncos winning at No. 6 singles 6-1,1-6, 11-9.
WMU returns to action with the first pair of matches of the MAC season. First the Broncos travel to Binghamton on Saturday, March 19 and then face Buffalo on the road on Sunday, March 20.
Follow the Broncos on Twitter @WMUMensTennis for all updates about the team!
WMU vs. Aquinas College
Singles competition
1. Maik Steiner (WMU) def. Kristoff Saari (AQU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Jefta Kecic (WMU) def. Daymon Johnson (AQU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Ruben Greiner (WMU) def. Gunnar Peery (AQU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Andy Struble (AQU) def. Matej Svjetlicic (WMU) 6-3, 3-6, 10-5
5. Daniel Loebel (WMU) def. Chase Peery (AQU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Andrew Cahn (WMU) def. Will Buurma (AQU) 6-0, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Daniel Loebel/Ruben Greiner (WMU) def. Kristoff Saari/Gunnar Peery (AQU) 6-4
2. Matt Hamilton/Maik Steiner (WMU) def. Chase Peery/Daymon Johnson (AQU) 6-1
3. Will Buurma/Andy Struble (AQU) def. Stephen Payne/Jimmy Beckwith (WMU) 7-6 (7-5)
WMU vs. Grand Valley State
Singles competition
1. Jefta Kecic (WMU) def. A. van de Steenoven (GV-M) 6-3, 6-2
2. Matt Hamilton (WMU) def. Zach Phillips (GV-M) 6-3, 6-1
3. Ruben Greiner (WMU) def. Sebastien Lescoulie (GV-M) 6-3, 7-5
4. Matej Svjetlicic (WMU) def. Jack Heiniger (GV-M) 6-0, 6-2
5. Andrew Cahn (WMU) def. Andrew Bole (GV-M) 6-1, 6-4
6. Eric Olivarez (WMU) def. Nicholas Urban (GV-M) 6-1, 1-6, 11-9
Doubles competition 1. Matt Hamilton/Maik Steiner (WMU) def. A. van de Steenoven/Zach Phillips (GV-M) 6-3 2. Jimmy Beckwith/Jefta Kecic (WMU) vs. Jack Heiniger/Sebastien Lescoulie (GV-M) 4-5, unfinished 3. Stephen Payne/Nick Schnobel (WMU) def. Michael Kaye/Nicholas Urban (GV-M) 6-2