KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's tennis team moved within one win of claiming the Mid-American Conference Regular Season Championship after a 6-1 victory over Ball State at Sorensen Courts on Friday afternoon.
Two of the three doubles matches had to be decided by tie-breakers. Benjamin George and Brogan Pierce gave the Broncos (11-8, 7-1 MAC) the early advantage after a 6-3 win at No. 3 over Parrish Simmons and Abe Wojtalik. The match at No. 1 between WMU's Peter Kuszynski and Ferdinand Schlueter and BSU's Nathanial Webster and Danilo Kovacevic went to a tie-breaker after Kuszynski and Ferdinand battled back to square it up at 6-6. The Cardinals took the match, 7-2, to tie up doubles at 1-1. Minutes later Fynn Lohse and Anton Arzhankin defeated Vince Orlando and Eli Herran 7-6 (7-3) to secure the doubles point.
The Broncos pushed the lead to 2-0 thanks to a quick win by Arzhankin at No. 2, 6-0, 6-1, over Orlando. Kuszynski made it 3-0 after a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 3 over Kovacevic. Lohse notched the match-winner with his 6-3, 6-2 win over Sajin Smith at No. 5. Herran defeated Arjun Honnappa 5-7, 6-1, 1-0 (10-3) to get the Cardinals on the board, but wins by George and Boone would balloon the lead score to 6-1.
Western Michigan hosts Toledo on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Sorensen Courts. Admission is free.
