Luther posts 1-2 record on trip to Texas

The Luther College men’s tennis team traveled to Tyler, Texas and played three matches at the University of Texas-Tyler Friday and Saturday, April 2-3. Two of the teams, Trinity University (Tex.) and UT-Tyler, were nationally ranked at #16 and #30 respectively.

On Friday, the Norse squared off with Rhodes College (Tenn.) and Trinity. The Norse dropped a hard-fought 5-4 decision to Rhodes and were defeated 8-1 by Trinity.

In the Rhodes match, Max Busch (‘10) and Utsab Rijal (‘10) posted Luther’s lone win in doubles play, an 8-4 decision at #1. Nationally ranked #24 Scott Sundstrom (‘12) at #1, Busch at #4 and Mark Mateski (‘10) at #5, recorded victories in singles play. Sundstrom battled to a three-set win, while both Busch and Mateski won in straight sets.

Luther’s #3 doubles team of Aaron Gendron (‘12) and Harrison Whiteley (‘11) recorded Luther’s lone point during the Trinity match. This duo tallied at 9-7 decision over Ben Carroll and Don Murray.

The Norse wrapped up their two-day trip to Texas by posting a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over host UT-Tyler on Saturday. After dropping all three doubles matches, the Norse battled back and won five of six singles matches. Sundstrom at #1, Rijal at #3 and Mateski at #5 all won in straight sets, while Busch at #4 and Gendron at #6 won in three sets.

The Norse (20-7) will return to action Saturday, April 10, when they will host Coe College. This Iowa Conference showdown will begin at 11 a.m.