KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan men's tennis team opened the 2015-16 season at the River Forest Invitational going 3-3 in doubles action and 4-2 in singles. The three-day invite was forced to postpone the morning matches due to rain.
In flight A doubles, the team of Andrew Cahn and Stephen Payne defeated DePaul's Jan-Willem Felizer and Conor O'Meara 6-3 in the first Broncos first match of the season. Cahn and Payne then fell to Xavier University's Zach Mueck and Jeremy Schneider 6-3 in round two.
In flight B doubles, the team of Jimmy Beckwith and Ruben Greiner were defeated by Illinois-Chicago's Carl Hestrom and Marcelo Dib in round one by the score of 6-3. Beckwith and Greiner then went on to defeat Detroit's Orantes and Kakyrov 6-2 in round two of the losers bracket.
In flight C doubles, Daniel Loebel and Matej Svjetlicic fell to South Dakota State's Elliot Ward's and Lovro Curcija 6-5 but earned a spot as the "lucky losers," giving the two a chance to play again in the winner side. They took advantage, defeating Detroit's Mertz and Zychowicz 6-2.
Doubles Play
Flight A
Andrew Cahn/Stephen Payne (WMU) def. Jan-Willem Felizer/Conor O'Meara (DeP) 6-3
Zach Mueck/Jeremy Schneider (XU) def. Cahn/Payne, 6-3
Flight B
Carl Hestrom/Marcelo Dib (UIC) def. Jimmy Beckwith/Ruben Greiner (WMU), 6-3
Beckwith/Greiner (WMU) def. Orantes/Kakyrov (UD), 6-2
Flight C
Elliot Ward/Lovro Curcija (SDSU) def. Daniel Loebel/Matej Svjetlicic, 6-5
Loeble/Svejetlicic (WMU) def. Mertz/Zychowicz, 6-2
In singles play, Greiner, Loebel, Svjetlicic and Payne all earned wins while Cahn and Beckwith suffered losses.
Singles Play
Flight A
Ruben Greiner (WMU) def. Bruno Russo (Belmont) 6-2, 3-6, 10-0
Daniel Loeble (WMU) def. Simon Formont (NIU) 6-4, 6-4
Flight B
Matej Svjetlicic (WMU) def. Marco Paulo (SDSU) 6-3, 6-0
Nick Mercer (MSU) def. Jimmy Beckwith (WMU) 6-3, 6-3
Flight C
Stephen Payne (WMU) def. Garrett Mandrell (MSU)
Nicholas Solarewicz (UDM) def. Andrew Cahn (WMU) 7-5, 7-6 (3)
The Broncos continue in the River Forest Invite for the next two days. Doubles and singles play will resume tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. assuming weather permits.
