Sept. 18, 2011
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The University of Iowa men’s tennis team came away with two champions in the fall season opener at the Purdue Invitational on Sunday.
“I was particularly happy with the play of three guys this tournament,” said Head Coach Steve Houghton, the winningest coach in school history. “Chris Speer, Jonas Dierckx and Matt Hagan each looked very impressive here in our first tournament.”
Senior Christopher Speer and sophomore Joey White rolled to the Flight C doubles title with an impressive victory against Toledo’s Terrance Weigand and Garret Cona at the Schwartz Tennis Center. Speer and White won convincingly with an 8-1 advantage. The duo went 2-0 on Friday to reach the finals match.
Speer was crowned the Flight B consolations bracket champion after a finals victory against Western Michigan’s Aaron Wong. Speer won in a tie-breaker, 6-2, 4-6 (10-5). After dropping his first match in Flight B on Friday, Speer went 5-0 to rally his way to the back side title.
Sophomore Chase Tomlins and freshman Matt Hagan also participated in a finals match for Iowa on Sunday, playing in the Flight B doubles main draw finals. Tomlins and Hagan fell 8-5 to Arkansas’ Michael Nott and Mike Ward. The duo won their first two matches on Friday and earned another victory on Saturday to reach the finals.
Freshman Jonas Dierckx had an impressive tournament according to Houghton, winning his first two matches in the Flight A singles main draw. Hagan also won his first two matches in the Flight B singles main draw earlier in the tournament.
Iowa will stay busy this weekend as well with action in two tournaments. Houghton will take a group of players to the Drake Invitational in Des Moines, while Assistant Coach Steve Nash will take a group to the H-E-B Tournament in Waco, Texas. Both tournaments are scheduled from Sept. 23-25.
Purdue Invitational
Flight C Doubles Main Draw Finals
Christopher Speer/Joey White (IOWA) def. Terrance Weigand/Garret Cona (Toledo) 8-1
Flight B Singles Consolation Finals
Christopher Speer(IOWA) def. Aaron Wong (WMU) 6-2, 4-6 (10-5)
Flight B Doubles Main Draw Finals
Michael Nott/Mike Ward (Ark) defeated Chase Tomlins/Matt Hagan (IOWA) 8-5.