HILLSDALE, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University men's tennis team opened the spring season on the road at NCAA Division II Hillsdale College on Friday.
 
Despite the final score, SAU pushed Hillsdale in several tightly contested matches before falling 6-1.
 
The Cougars picked up a point in doubles play, as Jakub Sevcik and MacKinley McNalley earned a hard-fought 7-6 win at No. 3 doubles. The remaining doubles matches were closely contested as well, with Hillsdale edging SAU 7-5 at No. 1 and 6-3 at No. 2 to secure the doubles point.
 
In singles action, Aziz Madatov delivered Spring Arbor's lone point of the match with a three-set victory at the top spot. Several other singles matches came down to the wire, including two tiebreak losses at No. 2 and No. 5. Jaume Riera Galindo dropped a tight 6-4, 7-6 decision at No. 2 singles while Jakub Sevcik was edged in back-to-back tiebreak sets at No. 5. Daniel Rodriguez Fortes also pushed his match to a first-set tiebreak at No. 3 before falling in straight sets. Andrei Negrut battled through three sets at No. 4 after taking the opening set, but Hillsdale ultimately prevailed.
 
 
THE BASICS
SCORE: Spring Arbor 1, Hillsdale 6
LOCATION: Hillsdale, Mich.
RECORDS: Spring Arbor 1-2, Hillsdale 1-0
 
 
THE RESULTS
Doubles
1. Ryan Papazov / Ellis Klanduch (HC) def. Jaume Riera Galindo / Daniel Rodriguez Fortes (SAU) 7-5
2. Henry Hammond / Patrick Cretu (HC) def. Aziz Madatov / Andrei Negrut (SAU) 6-3
3. MacKinley McNalley / Jakub Sevcik (SAU)def. Samuel Plys / Jackson Clements (HC) 7-6
 
Singles
1. Aziz Madatov (SAU) def. Ryan Papzov (HC) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
2. Samuel Plys (HC) def. Jaume Riera Galinda (SAU) 6-4, 7-6
3. Henry Hammond (HC) def. Daniel Rodriguez Fortes (SAU) 7-6, 6-1
4. Patrick Cretu (HC) def. Andrei Negrut (SAU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
5. Rintaro Goda (HC) def. Jakub Sevcik (SAU) 7-6, 7-6
6. Jackson Clements (HC) def. Caleb Kaytar (SAU) 6-2, 6-3
 
 
UP NEXT
Spring Arbor travels to Ferris State University on Friday, Feb. 6.