By Mitch Blankespoor
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Kalamazoo College men's tennis team lost its second match of the 2014 season, falling 8-1 to the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater Saturday, Feb. 16.
"This was our first Division III match of the season," Kalamazoo Head Coach Mark Riley said. "I thought we played well against a very good team."
The Hornets fell behind 3-0 after doubles. Senior Alan Faber and junior David DeSimone were the closest to attaining victory falling 8-6 at second doubles. Senior Peter Rothstein and freshman Brandon Metzler lost to Ben Shkylar and Byron Balkin 8-3 at first doubles while senior Mike Korn and sophomore Robert Hudson lost 8-2 at third doubles.
UW-Whitewater clinched the match when Balkin defeated Hudson 6-2, 6-2 at third singles and Shkylar defeated Rothstein 6-1, 6-2 at second singles.
Kalamazoo's lone point of the match came at fourth singles. Korn defeated R. Rajshekhar Raman 6-4, 6-2.
"Mike [Korn] played a great match at fourth singles," said Riley. "He led the bottom half of the singles lineup who all played well."
One flight, sixth singles, went to three sets. Freshman Spencer Navarre lost set one 6-2, but bounced back to win set two 6-4. With the match already decided, Navarre and Matt Bisbee played a super tiebreaker to decide the final set. Bisbee won the breaker, defeating Navarre 10-4.
Metzler had a tough task playing Humphries, ranked eighth in the country, at first singles. Metzler lost the first set in a tiebreak 7-3 and fell in set two 6-4.
With the loss, the Hornets dip to 0-2 on the season and will play again Feb. 22 against Ohio Northern at 9:30 a.m. and Wabash (Ind.) at 4:00 p.m.