ALLENDALE, MI – The McKendree men's tennis team competed at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division 2 Midwest Regional Championship this past weekend.

The Bearcats took 12 men to compete in four singles flights, and three doubles flights. Those competing in the singles' Flight A include seniors Bendix Schroeder, Luka Kalenic, junior Stepan Mach, who received the #7 seed in the tournament, and freshman Ignacio Paolini. Singles flight B includes freshman Riccardo Ercolani, juniors Felix Diedrichs, Giacomo Valerga, Mathijs Aalpol, and senior Aimar Oregui. Singles flight C includes sophomore Emile Pötgens, and singles flight D includes sophomore Alex Patrick and freshman Ajay Meischke.

In doubles, flight A includes Diedrichs/Paolini and Kalenic/Schroeder. Competing in flight B is Aalpol/Pötgens, Oregui/Valerga, and Mach/Ercolani. Flight C includes Meischke/Patrick.

"We had a pretty solid weekend of tennis. We made it farther than we did last year in the main draw as well as more players winning matches. Even the guys that made the same round as last year, had some of their best wins in years. Stepan, Luka, Giacomo, and Ajay were big standouts this weekend. Ajay winning his draw just speaks to the depth of our team. I'm most proud of the fact that we are all on the same page about the direction of the program and where we need to improve. The team chemistry and atmosphere of this team is impressive. I'm very proud of everyone," said head coach Chance Joost on the weekend.
 
Full Team Results:

Flight A Singles

Bendix Schroeder

• R64 v Erik Kovacs (Ferris State University) L 4-6, 6-2, 7-10
• Consolation R32Q v Diego Alvarez Gutierrez (Maryville University) L 7-5, 6-2

#7 Seed Stepan Mach

• R64 v Felipe Iser (Ferris State University) W 1-6, 6-0, 10-2
• R32 v Lorenzo Biava (Maryville University) W 6-2 6-4
• R16 v Daniel Calver (Davenport University) W 6-2(ret)
• Quarterfinals v Tadeo Gaggiofatto (University of Indianapolis) L 2-6 4-6

Luka Kalenic

• R64 v #12 seed Jorge Ruiz (Grand valley State University) W 2-6, 6-2, 10-8
• R32 v Thomas Mathys (Wayne State University) W 6-4 3-6 10-5
• R16 v #4 seed Asier Ayllon Prado (University of Indianapolis) L 6-1 6-1

Ignacio Paolini

• R64 v Jose Portillo (Tiffin University) L 2-6 7(7)-6(5) 7-10
• Consolation R32Q v Ryan Papazov (Hillsdale College) W withdrawn
• Consolation R16 v Juan Ignacio Morresi (Southwest Baptist University) W Withdrawn (inj)
• Consolation Quarterfinals v #10 seed Killian Guillou (Rockhurst University) L 6-1 6-4

 
Flight B Singles

Riccardo Ercolani

• R64 v Lawrence Ivanov (Grand Valley State University) L 3-6 3-6
• Consolation R32 v Maxwell Hosey (University of Findlay) W 6-1 6-2
• Consolation R16 v Jaden Bender (Davenport University) L Retired (Inj)

Felix Diedrichs

• R64 v Milo Leuenberger (Ferris State University) L 3-6 3-6
• Consolation R32 v Nico Ritz (Tiffin University) L 6-4 3-6 5-10

Aimar Oregui

• R64 v #4 seed Adrian Constantin (Davenport University) L 2-6 1-6
• Consolation R32 v Maksim Chernogorov (Maryville University) L 3-6 5-7

Giacomo Valerga

• R64 v Tanner Harvey (Ferris State University) W 7(7)-6(3) 6(4)-7(7) 10-1
• R32 v Mathis Bartolomeo (Northwood University/MI) W 6-1 7-5
• R16 v #3 seed Andreu Martin Chuecos (Grand Valley State University) L 6-3 7-5

Mathijs Aalpol

• R64 v Jose Andres Perez Alarcon (Ferris State University) L 6-2 6-0
• Consolation R32 v Rudiger Dusselberg (Davenport University) W 6-4 6-4
• Consolation R16 v Isaac Vens (Grand Valley State University) L 6(7)-7(9) 3-6

 
Flight C Singles

Emile Pötgens

• R32 v Marlon Huber (Tiffin University) L 5-7 4-6
• Consolation R32 v Alcaro Rueda (Quincy University) L 4-6 6(5)-7(7)

 
Flight D Singles

Alex Patrick

• East R16 v Reid Reimink (Davenport University) W 3-6 6-4 10-2
• East Quarterfinals v #1 seed Dorian Pettengill (Michigan Technological University) L 4-6 6-4 8-10
• North Semifinals v Connor Nguyen (University of Findlay) W 6-1 6-1
• North Final v #4 seed Cameron Davis (University of Findlay) W withdrawn (inj.)

Ajay Meischke

• East R16 v Jace Walker (William Jewell College) W 6-0 6-1
• East Quarterfinals v #4 seed Cameron Davis (University of Findlay) W 6-2 2-6 10-5
• East Semifinals v #2 seed David Hoffman (Roosevelt University) W 6-4 6-3
• East Finals v #1 seed Dorian Pettengill (Michigan Technological University) W 6-3 4-6 10-8

 
Flight A Doubles

Felix Diedrichs/Ignacio Paolini

• R32 v Martin Dreisner/Jose Portillo (Tiffin University) W Withdrawn (Inj)
• R16 v #6 seed Asier Ayllon Prado/Jovan Matovic (University of Indianapolis) L 8-1

Luka Kalenic/Bendix Schroeder

• R32 v #2 seed Erik Kovacs/Kevin Kovacs (Ferris State University) L 8-5
• Consolation R16 v Jules Rumeau/Justus Peters (Roosevelt University) W 8-4
• Consolation Quarterfinals v #7 seed Killian Guillou/Oliver Dickason (Rockhurst University) L 2-8

 
Flight B Doubles

Mathijs Aalpol/Emile Pötgens

• R32 v Milo Leunberger/Kacper Pasielak (Ferris State University) L 1-8
• Consolation R16 v Pedro Diaz Camacho/Daniel Sroka (Purdue University Northwest) W 9(7)-8(3)
• Consolation Quarterfinals v Benjamin Hill/Maxence Faniel (Wayne State University) L 3-8

Aimar Oregui/Giacomo Valerga

• R32 v Lorenzo Di Cursi/Arda Aroyo (University of Indianapolis) W 8-3
• R16 v Josef Truhlar/Diego Schtulmann (Rockhurst University) W 8-6
• Quarterfinals v #4 seed Jorge Ruiz/Andreu Martin Chuecos (Grand Valley State University) L 4-8

Stepan Mach/Riccardo Ercolani

• R32 v Maksim Chernogorov/Lorenzo Biava (Maryville University) W 8-2
• R16 v #2 seed Thomas Mathys/Sam Knowles (Wayne State University) L 7-9

 
Flight C Doubles

Ajay Meischke/Alex Patrick

• R32 v Grant Hawkins/Cameron Davis (University of Findlay) L 5-8
• Consolation R16 v BYE W
• Consolation Quarterfinals v Jacob Brown/Reid Reimink (Davenport University) W 8-6
• Consolation Semifinals v Ian Pinnoo/Sabri Laphitz (Michigan Technological University) L 2-8

 
The Bearcats will not be back in action until January 24^th.