VU Trailblazer Tennis loses 6-1 to Bradley
PEORIA, Ill. - The Vincennes University Tennis Team got off to a good start Sunday afternoon by winning the doubles point, but failed to win a singles match in a 6-1 loss at NCAA Div. I Bradley.
“We came out strong with good energy in doubles,” VU Coach Ron Albers. “We showed good movement we’d worked on in practice last week. We played smarter strategies in serving and receiving.”
But the Braves, who are coached by former Trailblazer Jesse Plote, turned the tide quickly in singles by winning first sets in all six matches.
“The sweep in doubles was high level, but they responded very well in singles,” Albers said. “We took it to them in doubles and they did it to us in singles which made us climb uphill the rest of the time and we didn’t have enough.”
Bradley got the deciding point at one singles when Trailblazer freshman Josh Barrenechea lost a tough three-set match to Georgia State transfer Gabriel Townes, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5.
VU sophomore Jose Zaatini suffered his first loss of the season at No. 4 singles, only his second in two years, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, to Hamish Weerasinghe while freshman Erick Bermudez also extended his opponent to three sets at the three position. However, both finished after the outcome had been determined.
“We’re getting closer, showing grit to fight in all the matches,” Albers said. “We’re not fit enough yet to sustain that level in thee set matches. We need to work hard and we will get better in succeeding in those situations."
The Trailblazers (1-3) are idle until March 4 when they play ASA College in the first of six matches over five days during VU's annual trip to Orlando, FL.
Bradley 6; VU 1
Singles
No. 1 – Gabriel Townes (B) def. Josh Barrenechea, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5
No. 2 – Juan Diego Cuadrago (B) def. Jose Luis Soto, 6-4, 6-4
No. 3 – Aston Kalhorn (B) def. Erick Bermudez, 7-5, 5-7, 6-1
No. 4 – Hamish Weerasinghe (B) def. Jose Zaatini, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
No. 5 – Ahmed Albitar (B) def. David White, 6-1, 6-4
No. 6 – Justin Abrams (B) def. Edward Spilman, 6-0, 6-0
Order of finish: 6,5,2,1,4,3
Ex: J.C. Pauli (V) def. Eric Nguyen, 8-0
Ex: Kevin Keiner (B) def. Fergus Knies, 9-7
Doubles
No. 1 – Barrenechea/Burmudez (V) def. Kalhorn/Weerasinghe, 8-4
No. 2 – Soto/Zaatini (V) def. Abrams/Cuadrado, 8-7(3)
No. 3 – Spilman/Bulnes (V) def. Albitar/Nguyen, 8-4
Order of finish: 3,1,2