ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Hosting the defending national champion and No. 1 ranked Denison is always a significant challenge. However, the No. 16 Washington University in St. Louis men's tennis team was up for the test on Saturday.
Ultimately, though, the Big Red came from behind to secure a narrow 4-3 victory over the Bears.
In doubles, all three matches were close and could have gone either way. Senior
Colin Fox and first-year
Jeremy Sieben edged out Denison 7-5 at the top spot, overcoming a doubles team that reached the NCAA Tournament last season.
The Big Red leveled the doubles matches with a win at number two before seniors
Eric Kuo and
Colin Scruggs clinched the point for WashU at number three with their 7-6 (6) win, giving the Bears a 1-0 lead.
As the teams moved to singles, Denison quickly rebounded to claim the first three matches, taking a 3-1 lead. Scruggs responded for WashU with a 6-3, 7-5 win at number two singles, trimming the lead down to just one.
Nevertheless, the Big Red clinched the match with a win at number four. Senior
Case Fagan dropped his opening set 6-2 before splitting sets with a 6-0 win in the second. However, Denison's Andres Chapides recovered for a 6-4 win in the third set.
The Bears secured their final point when sophomore
Avi Mahajan won his first set 6-3, fell in the second 7-5, but answered with a 10-4 win in the match tiebreak.
WashU stays in St. Louis next Saturday, Feb. 14, but will be the visitor as it competes against Division I Saint Louis University at the Missouri Athletic Center at 4 p.m.
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Elevating scholar-champions requires resources beyond the institutional budget. Through the W Club, generous alumni, parents, and friends provide unrestricted support that is essential to the extraordinary WashU student-athlete experience—and the ongoing growth and development of the department. Annual support for Athletics allows the Bears to consistently rise to national levels of competition and ensures that our student-athletes enjoy exceptional opportunities as they train, compete, and lead. To make a gift to the Annual Fund for Athletics, please visit our secure online giving form or contact the Athletics Advancement Office at athletics@wustl.edu.
