Feb. 5, 2012
IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa men’s tennis team nearly upset nationally-ranked DePaul, but the Blue Demons won three straight singles matches to earn a comeback win. The Hawkeyes (1-4 overall) fell 4-3 to No. 73 DePaul (6-3) Sunday in the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex. Iowa won five total matches while DePaul won four.
“It was a really tough loss against a solid, Big Ten level team. Dropping three three-set matches was disappointing,” said head coach Steve Houghton. “As a team, we are close right now. Three of our losses have been 4-3 matches, so there is no reason to panic.”
The Hawkeyes swept the Blue Demons in doubles to take an early 1-0 lead. Iowa has claimed the doubles point three times in its first four matches this season, holding a 9-3 record in doubles.
Seniors Will Vasos and Tom Mroziewicz got on the board first for the Hawkeyes, beating DePaul’s Matija Palinic and Aaron Chaffee in No. 3 doubles. A forehand from Vasos on match point was unable to be returned in play from DePaul, securing an 8-5 victory.
Sophomore Jonas Dierckx and freshman Matt Hagan increased their doubles win streak to eight matches. Dierckx and Hagan defeated Filip Dzanko and George Chanturia in No. 1 doubles 8-3 to clinch the doubles point. An ace by Dierckx forced match point, and a strong volley from Hagan secured the win. Dierckx and Hagan are 4-0 this spring season.
Junior Garret Dunn and sophomore Michael Swank came through in No. 2 doubles to secure the Hawkeye sweep, knocking off Mathias Hambach and Sven Kasper in extra games, 9-7. Dunn and Swank are 3-1 this season.
Dunn won his third straight singles match of the season, beating Josh Dancu 6-3, 6-2 in No. 5 singles to give Iowa a 2-0 lead.
After DePaul cut the lead to 2-1 with a victory in No. 1 singles, sophomore Chase Tomlins provided a big win in his first collegiate dual match. Tomlins defeated Adam Reinhart 7-5, 6-1 in No. 6 singles to give the Hawkeyes a 3-1 lead.
The Blue Demons won three straight three-set matches to sneak past Iowa.
Iowa will hit the courts next with a road contest against Illinois State on Feb. 18th. The Hawkeyes will then travel to face Western Michigan on Feb. 19th.
No. 73 DePaul 4, Iowa 3
Singles
No. 1 – Filip Dzanko (DePaul) Jonas Dierckx (IOWA) 6-0, 6-3
No. 2 – George Chanturia (DePaul) def. Will Vasos (IOWA) 7-5, 2-6, 6-2
No. 3 – Sven Kasper (DePaul) def. Matt Hagan (IOWA) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
No. 4 – Mathias Hambach (DePaul) def. Tom Mroziewicz (IOWA) 4-6, 6-1, 6-0
No. 5 – Garret Dunn (IOWA) def. Josh Dancu (DePaul) 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 -Chase Tomlins (IOWA) def. Adam Reinhart (DePaul) 7-5, 6-1
Order of finish: 5, 1, 6, 4, 3, 2
Doubles
No. 1 – Dierckx/Hagan (IOWA) Dzanko/Chanturia (DePaul) 8-3
No. 2 – Michael Swank/Dunn (IOWA) Hambach/Kasper (DePaul) 8-6
No. 3 -Vasos/Mroziewicz (IOWA) def. Palinic/Chaffee (DePaul) 8-5
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2