St. Peter, Minnesota - Trinity's 10th-ranked
men's tennis team began its part in the Intercollegiate Tennis
Association Indoor National Championships with a loss to No. 6
UC-Santa Cruz on Friday afternoon.
The Tigers (2-3) opened the match by winning two of the three
doubles points. Trinity's Max Frey and Erick DelaFuente
scored an 8-6 win at No. 1, while Greg Haugen and Jordan Mayer
cruised to an 8-2 win at No. 2. Both teams improved to 4-1
this season. Jacob Straus and Ben Carroll lost a narrow 8-6
match in the third doubles contest.
Unfortunately, Trinity was able to secure just one of the six
singles matchups, which came via Mayer's 3-6, 6-2, 3-1 win at No. 5
singles. Two of Trinity's singles losses went to a third set,
and the Tigers won the opening set in both.
Straus opened with a 7-6 (8-6) win at No. 2 singles, but then
lost 4-6, 0-6 in the next two sets. Haugen also won 6-3 in
the opener, but then lost 4-6, 4-6 in the final two sets.
Haugen's loss clinched the match for the Banana Slugs (3-2).
Trinity will take on the University of Chicago at 8:30 a.m.
tomorrow, in the Consolation Bracket. The Tigers return home
on March 3, facing off against Our Lady of the Lake University and
the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.
