LEWISTON, Idaho The LC State Men’s Tennis team improved to 5-0 in the LCSC Tennis Center on Sunday with a 5-2 win over NCAA Division III Whitman. The win is the third against Whitman this season and sixth against a DIII opponent.
“We had another battle with Whitman today in the Tennis Center,” Head Coach Kai Fong said. “I am pleased to see the players respond to playing them for the third time this season. We still have much to do to prepare for a fourth time, to play them outdoors in Walla Walla.”
The Warriors took the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3. Itaru Kikuchi teamed up with Matus Rusnak for a 6-2 win in the top spot, and Daniel Tevez and Pavle Markus won in the third slot by a final of 6-3.
“Getting the doubles point is always crucial,” Fong said “Matus and Itaru turned in a well-orchestrated match to lead things off. Nell (Rollin) and Austin (Swing) stayed with their opponents and just narrowly lost. The new combination of Pavle and Daniel proved victorious as a new combination. The returners in these combinations were significant in their leadership.”
LC State won four of six singles matches. Kikuchi had the strongest match with a 6-1, 6-0 win in No. 2 singles. Nell Rollin battled through three sets in the fifth slot in his 5-7, 7-5, 10-7 win. Rusnak (No. 1 singles) and Swing (No. 4 singles) also earned individual wins.
“In singles, Itaru got ahead in both sets and stayed that way to earn a straight victory giving up only one game,” Fong explained. “Austin Swing came back from a deficit in the first set to reel off nine games in a row to give us a 3-0 lead. Matus fought off four set points at 4-5 to win the set 7-5. It was just as thrilling of a second set, when he led 5-2 before winning the set, the match 7-5. His victory clinched the dual for the Warriors.”
RESULTS
DOUBLES
1.    Itaru Kikuchi/Matus Rusnak (LCSC) def. Charles Rush/Artem Manov (WC) 6-2
2.    Cameron Young/Lucas Huang (WC) def. Austin Swing/Nell Rollin (LCSC) 6-4
3.    Daniel Tevez/Pavle Markus (LCSC) def. Braedn Thomas/Harshvardhan Chopra (WC) 6-3
SINGLES
1.    Matus Rusnak (LCSC) def. Cameron Young (WC) 7-5, 7-5
2.    Itaru Kikuchi (LCSC) def. Lucas Huang (WC) 6-1, 6-0
3.    Artem Manov (WC) def. Pavle Markus (LCSC) 6-1, 6-7(3), 7-6(2)
4.    Austin Swing (LCSC) def. Braeden Thomas (WC) 6-4, 6-0
5.    Nell Rollin (LCSC) def. Luca Viarengo (WC) 5-7, 7-5, 10-7
6.    Alejandro Raffo (WC) def. Cornelius Sia (LCSC) 6-1, 6-0
UP NEXT
The Warrior men host DI Montana in the Tennis Center on March 8.
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