April 8, 2008

Tennis Goes 3-1 in First RMAC Weekend

Loper Men Beat Rival 'Runners

       Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney tennis teams opened up  RMAC play by both beating Metro State and splitting with Montana State-Billings this past Saturday (April 5th) in Denver.

      On the men's side, UNK (7-2) dominated the Yellowjackets, 8-1; MSUB is now an affiliate member of the RMAC in tennis. The Lopers then nipped the Roadrunners, 5-4.

      Last spring, Metro ended UNK's two-year, 23-match RMAC win streak in the league tournament finals. The 'Runners then beat UNK in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

      In the latest ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) region rankings, Metro is fourth in the North Central with the Lopers' fifth.

      On the women's side, MSUB beat UNK, 8-1, but the Lopers (5-8) bounced back to edge Metro, 5-4.

      In the men's match vs. Metro, Kearney jumped out to a 3-0 lead by winning all three doubles matches. The No. 1 team of William Jacome and Andres Espinosa won a match up of regionally-ranked squads as they beat Riley Meyer and Sascha Ruckelshausen, 9-7.

      The North Central rankings have Meyer and Ruckelshausen third and Jacome (Miami, Fla.) and Espinosa (Colombia) fourth.

      Sophomore Drew Mercier (Omaha Westside) and freshman Stefan Voigt (Red Wing, Minn.) then won at No. 2 doubles by a 9-8 score.

      UNK would win only two singles matches but, again, got a key victory from Jacome. The senior southpaw beat Ruckelshausen in straight sets (6-1, 6-3) in the No. 1 position.

      Jacome has earned RMAC Player of the Years the past three years but it was Ruckelshausen who was tabbed as 2008 RMAC Preseason Player of the Year.

      The other singles win came in the fifth spot from Voigt (6-4, 6-1). Against Billings, UNK won all six singles matches and at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles.

      The Loper women could only muster a win by junior Callie Erickson (Fremont) and freshman Marcelle Strydom (Holdrege) at No. 2 doubles -- 8-4 -- against the 'Jackets.

      UNK did forfeit No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles as Mary Outhwaite was out with injury. Results from Metro women's dual aren't yet available.

      This weekend, UNK plays at Colorado Christian and then faces Mesa State and CSU-Pueblo in Lakewood.