ANGOLA, Ind. - It was a tough way to end the season for the Trine University men’s tennis team as they lost their final game of the season by a score of 6-3 to Calvin College. Trine finishes the season with an overall record of 11-8 and 2-4 in the MIAA.
Doubles proved to be the weak point for the Thunder today as they lost all three of the matches. Junior Dan Desper (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) and sophomore Joe Dunbar (Carmel, Ind./Blessed Theodore Guerin) lost a very close first doubles match 9-7. Sophomore Nick Ihrie (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) and junior David Murray (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) fell at second doubles 8-3 and the third doubles team of junior Trevor Derby (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) and freshman Zach Richardson (Muncie, Ind./Delta) dropped their match 8-1.
The Thunder came back in the singles matches to take three wins, but that wasn’t enough to get the team a win. Desper won another hard fought match at second singles 7-6 (6-0), 6-1 and Murray battled through three sets to win at third singles 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. Ihrie tallied the third win for the Thunder as he won his fifth singles match 7-6 (6-0), 6-4. Dunbar fell at number one singles against a very tough opponent 6-0, 6-0. Clark tried to make a comeback at fourth singles but fell just short as he lost 6-2, 7-5. Richardson dropped the final singles match and the sixth position 6-2, 6-3.
The Thunder finished the year with their first winning season since moving to Division III, and won more than 10 matches for the first time as well.