KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The doubles pairing of
Jefta Kecic and
Jimmy Beckwith claimed victory in the Flight B Doubles draw, and the Western Michigan men's tennis team wrapped a strong showing in doubles play at the Vredevelt Invitational. Play will resume tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. with two rounds of singles.
Kecic and Beckwith cruised to three straight doubles wins in the Flight B Doubles draw, defeating opponents from UW-Green Bay, Cleveland State, and Michigan State en route to the title. Kecic and Beckwith started off with a win against the Phoenix, downing Jorge Soler and Marius Merz 8-4 in the opening match of the bracket. They survived a tight set with Cleveland State's Joe VanMeter and Manuel Bellutti, and then beat Big Ten opponents Mac Roy and Michael Dube of Michigan State for the Flight B doubles title.
In addition to Kecic and Beckwith, another Bronco doubles pairing rebounded from a slow start to find success. Stephen Payne and Marc Shideler dropped their first match of the day but took two straight, starting with a win over opponents from Xavier. Payne and Shideler snuck past Connor Lafavre and Jeremy Schneider 8-5, and closed out their day with an easy 8-3 win over Green Bay's Michael Tebon and Joey Leto.
Flight A Doubles
Andrew Cahn/Maik Steiner (WMU) def. Andreas Boers/Dylan Steffens (ISU) 8-3
Gijs Linders/Harry Jadun (MSU) def. Andrew Cahn/Maik Steiner (WMU) 8-3
Covalschi/Frederika (ND) def. Andrew Cahn/Maik Steiner (WMU) 8-6
Ali Shabib/Colton Buffington (CSU) def. Stephen Payne/Marc Shideler (WMU) 8-4
Stephen Payne/Marc Shideler (WMU) def. Connor Lafavre/Jeremy Schneider (XU) 8-5
Stephen Payne/Marc Shideler (WMU) def. Michael Tebon/Joey Leto (UWGB) 8-3
Flight B Doubles
Jefta Kecic/Jimmy Beckwith (WMU) def. Jorge Soler/Marius Merz (UWGB) 8-4
Jefta Kecic/Jimmy Beckwith (WMU) def. Joe VanMeter/Manuel Bellutti (CSU) 8-6
Jefta Kecic/Jimmy Beckwith (WMU) def. Mac Roy/Michael Dube (MSU) 8-6
Flight C Doubles
Pablo Mora/Matt Hamilton (WMU) def. Garret Gardner/Danny Oakes (Valpo) 8-6
Michael Moe/Arthur Stefani (XU) def. Pablo Mora/Matt Hamilton (WMU) 8-3
Jasper Koenen/Alexander Kim (MSU) def. Pablo Mora/Matt Hamilton (WMU) 8-1
