UNK Lopers // UNK Communications
KEARNEY – The Nebraska-Kearney tennis teams worked around the weather to get past Newman, 6-1 (women) and 4-3 (men), Thursday in Kearney.
Due to the recent winter storm, both duals were both pushed back to 2 p.m. with the men playing on three courts at Harmon Park and the women heading inside to the Ernest Grundy Center. The 22nd-ranked Loper women are now 10-3 (1-0) while the men move to 10-6 (2-1).
The women allowed just three combined points at two and three doubles and then swept two through five singles. Junior Narindra Ranaivo (Madagascar) won 6-1, 6-1 at three with ninth-ranked Jazmin Zamorano (Mexico) taking her four singles, 6-1, 6-3. Finally, freshman Tanya Midzi won a spot lower in the lineup, 6-4, 6-3.
Things were tougher on the men’s side, but freshman Andy Brisdon (U.K.) clinched the dual thanks to a 6-0, 7-5 win at six singles. The Lopers suffered a rare loss in doubles but won four singles matches to improve to 5-2 at home.
Graduate transfer Adam Palecek (Czechia) rallied from a 1-0 hole at one by winning his last two sets (7-6, 7-5) with freshmen Jakub Strzelecki (Poland) and Jip Mens (The Netherlands) sweeping their Jet foes at five and three, respectively.
UNK hosts Emporia State Friday afternoon at 11 a.m. (women) and 1 p.m. (men). This will be “Senior Day” for the men with Aaron Osmond (U.K.) joining Palecek as a graduate student.
