OMAHA, Neb. - Despite two more wins from freshman Bradley Holt, Western Illinois men's tennis fell 5-2 to Creighton at the Hanscom Tennis Center on Saturday night.
The Leathernecks fall to 2-5 overall, while the Bluejays open their regular season 1-0.
"We were very evenly matched with Creighton," head coach Chris Kane said. "Playing without our #2 singles and #1 doubles player, Patrick Hammers, was a significant problem. Our guys did give good effort without a doubt."
Holt first teamed with fellow freshman Christoph Haertel to win in the duo's debut at No. 1 doubles by an 8-6 score.
Creighton won at No. 2 and 3 doubles to take the lone doubles point, though.
In singles play, Holt picked up a straight sets victory at second singles, 6-4, 6-3.
"Bradley Holt, moving up to #2 singles, was again a winner. He took care of Ryan Norman 6-4, 6-3, Creighton's #2, whom we had never beaten in my three years at Western," Kane added. "Brad and Christoph Haertel also posted an excellent win at #1 doubles over one of the top doubles teams in the Midwest, Billy Paluch and Norman, a team that had a great showing in the Fall at the ITA's in Minneapolis."
Sophomore Mitch Granger added a win at fourth singles by a score of 6-2, 7-5.
At No. 5 singles, freshman Max Cederkall fell in a back-and-contest, but the score of 4-6, 6-3, 10-3 didn't end in his favor.
"Mitch Granger continued his winning ways with a hard-fought straight set win at #4 singles. If Max Cederkall could have pulled off a win in his third set tiebreaker at #5 singles, and Max and Mitch could have held onto a 5-2 lead at #3 doubles, we would have had a different result," Kane concluded. "But, it's unrealistic to think everything close goes our way against such a fine team as Creighton."
Western opens Summit League competition tomorrow morning (Feb. 3) against Omaha at 10 a.m.
Creighton 5, Western Illinois 2
Singles competition
1. Billy Paluch (CU) def. Christoph Haertel (WIU) 6-1, 6-3
2. Bradley Holt (WIU) def. Ryan Norman (CU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Sean Mathison (CU) def. Ben Yue (WIU) 6-0, 6-3
4. Mitch Granger (WIU) def. Brandon Lee (CU) 6-2, 7-5
5. Elliott Baker (CU) def. Max Cederkall (WIU) 4-6, 6-3, 10-3
6. Quinn Dippel (CU) def. Chris Bunch (WIU) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Christoph Haertel/Bradley Holt (WIU) def. Ryan Norman/Billy Paluch (CU) 8-6
2. Sean Mathison/Nick Thompson (CU) def. Brandon Meeker/Ben Yue (WIU) 8-3
3. Elliott Baker/Brandon Lee (CU) def. Max Cederkall/Mitch Granger (WIU) 8-6
