SOUTHFIELD, Mich. -- The Lawrence Technological (Mich.) University men's tennis team came back from 4-3 down to win the final two singles flights for an opening season 5-4 win at Huntington (Ind.) University.
Lawrence Tech entered the final two matches down a point with freshman Patrick Szymczak (FR/Heidelberg, Germany) and senior Mason Wenzel (SR/Howell, Mich.) still on the courts. Szymcak was able to defeat Jacob Shelton at No. 5 singles 6-4, 7-5 while Wenzel eased to a 6-2, 6-2 straight sets win at No. 6 singles against Vova Kohut.
The Blue Devils led the match after the doubles matches with the No. 2 pair Jan Horstkoetter (SR/Cologne, Germany) and Stijn Bremer (SO/Arnhem, Gelderland, Netherland) taking care of Rodrigo Manzo and Giovanni Martinez 8-3. Wenzel and Vincent Colarossi (SR/Dearborn Heights, Mich.) pulled it off at No. 3 doubles with an 8-4 win while Robert Saitov (SO/Ufa, Bashkortostan Republic Ru) and Javier Alvarez (SR/Santiago de Compostela, Spain) fell in a close match at No. 1 double 9-7.
Bremer opened the singles flight with a win at No. 2 singles, defeating Manzo 7-5, 6-3 to give LTU a 3-1 lead. Alvarez dropped his match at No. 1 singles 6-3 ,6-4 as Ignacio Poncio cut the LTU lead to 3-2. Martinez was able to get by Saitov in straight sets, 7-5, 6-0 to tie the match at 3-3 before Mariano Echivario won a battle at No. 4 singles with Horstkoetter. Horstkoetter lost the opening set in a tie-breaker before losing 7-5 in the second set to push the Forresters to a 4-3 win.
Wenzel tied the match at 4-4 with his win at No. 6 singles and the freshman, Szymczak won the match for Lawrence Tech with his 6-5, 7-5 win over Shelton.
The Blue Devils are back on the court Friday, August 25 at 1 p.m. when they face Taylor (Ind.) University in Upland, Ind.
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Singles competition
1. Ignacio Poncio (HUMT) def. Javier Alvarez (LTMT) 6-3, 6-4
2. Stijn Bremer (LTMT) def. Rodrigo Manzo (HUMT) 7-5, 6-3
3. Giovanni Martinez (HUMT) def. Robert Saitov (LTMT) 7-5, 6-0
4. Mariano Echivario (HUMT) def. Jan Horstkoetter (LTMT) 7-6 (10-8), 7-5
5. Pat Szymczak (LTMT) def. Jacob Shelton (HUMT) 6-4, 7-5
6. Mason Wenzel (LTMT) def. Vova Kohnt (HUMT) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Ignacio Poncio/Mariano Echivario (HUMT) def. Javier Alvarez/Robert Saitov (LTMT) 9-7
2. Jan Horstkoetter/Stijn Bremer (LTMT) def. Rodrigo Manzo/Giovanni Martinez (HUMT) 8-3
3. Mason Wenzel/Vincent Colarossi (LTMT) def. Buttermore/Jacob Shelton (HUMT) 8-4
