Scots Host Malone, Then Going to Michigan for GLCAÕs

Brian Ebbitts

The College of Wooster men’s tennis team looks to build on its successes thus far in the season, including a current five-match win streak, this week. On Wednesday, April 11, the Fighting Scots play host to nearby Malone College (8-5) in non-league action at 4 p.m. It will mark the first time Wooster has met up with the Pioneers in nearly 10 years, with the most recent match resulting in a 7-0 decision for the Scots during the 1998 season. This Friday and Saturday, April 13-14, Wooster will be at Albion, Mich., for the annual Great Lakes Colleges Association Tournament, which traditionally features the top teams in the region. Last spring, the Scots placed sixth in the 10-team field, falling to Denison University 4-0 in the first round, then beating Albion College 4-1, and dropping a 4-2 decision to Hope College in the fifth-place match.   

    Last Week: Wooster won its two matches, both of the North Coast Athletic Conference variety, upping its records to 10-2 overall and 4-0 in conference play.
    On April 3, the Scots came back from a 2-1 deficit after doubles action to triumph 5-4 over Oberlin College. Wooster’s lone doubles point came from Dan Fleszar (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer) and Pat Grab (Erie, Pa. / Cathedral Prep) at No. 2 (8-4), and then the Scots took four of the six singles matches to secure the one-point victory. Leading the way was Will Morrison (Delaware, Ohio / Rutherford B. Hayes), who locked up a 7-6 (7-5), 6-0 win at No. 1 singles, while Brian Ebbitts (Mission Hills, Kan. / Shawnee Mission East) prevailed 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 3 slot. Grab scored a decisive victory in his No. 4 singles match (6-1, 6-0) and Sam Hickey (Sammamish, Wash. / Eastlake) picked up a hard-fought 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) win at No. 6.    
    On April 7, Wooster got off to a fast start, sweeping through the doubles portion of its match with Allegheny College, and hung on for a 5-2 victory inside the Wooster Racquet & Fitness Club. It was played to decision. The No. 1 doubles team of Dave Albrechta (Fremont, Ohio / Ross) and Hickey edged their opponents 8-6, while the combinations of Fleszar and Grab as well as Grant D’Augustine (Cincinnati, Ohio / Turpin) and Ebbitts won relatively easily at No. 2 (8-4) and No. 3 (8-3), respectively. Allegheny cut the lead to 3-2 in singles, but then Morrison came through in the clutch, taking a second-set tiebreaker 7-2 to prevail at the top of the lineup 6-2, 7-6, and Ebbitts clinched the match with a dominating victory at No. 3 (6-2, 6-1).