Cougar tennis gets two GLVC wins

Kumar Bhooshan
Sports Editor

Despite getting off to a rocky start, the men's tennis team remains undefeated in Great Lakes Valley Conference play.

SIUE is 2-6 overall but boasts a 2-0 record in the conference. The Cougars were able to serve up two wins against Lewis University and St. Joseph's College after a difficult showing in Pensacola, Fla. The Cougars failed to pull out a single win against four nonconference opponents.

The Cougars faced the Pumas of St. Joseph's, defeating them 5-0, Friday.

The match was played at Kettle River Racquet Club in Edwardsville, and not all matches were completed due to the teams' time schedules.

SIUE's Chris Welkner defeated Mike Cronkhite, winning the first set 6-0 and claiming the next 1-0.

The match ended early because Cronkhite was unable to finish.

David Mims of SIUE defeated Greg Gulvas in straight sets 6-0 and 6-0.

The Cougars were able to sweep all three matches in doubles action.

The team of Welkner and Mims downed St. Joseph's Tom Ruth and Lance Crow 8-4.

In No. 2 doubles action, the team of Heath Turpin and Collin Manjengwa of SIUE defeated Russ Reagan and Cronkhite in relatively easy fashion. Turpin and Manjengwa downed the Puma pair 8-1.

SIUE's Francisco Perez and Jason Zemler made the doubles day perfect for the Cougars by defeating Gulvas and Mike Parrish 8-2.

The Cougars played host to Lewis University, downing the Flyers 6-3 Saturday.

In singles action Lewis' Tony Perrinco defeated Turpin 6-3 and 6-0.

Perez rolled through his singles match, defeating Beau Mega 6-0 and 6-0.

Manjengwa outlasted Lewis' Joey Byers, losing the first set 2-6, claiming the second in a close 7-5 victory and claiming the final set 6-4.

Lewis' Chris Olson won in straight sets over Welkner 6-0 and 6-3.

Mims was downed in the first set 6-7 by Lewis' Matt Moyzis. Mims kept his composure and was able to claim the next two sets 6-3 and 6-2.

Zemler defeated T.J. Haas in straight sets winning 6-2 and 6-2.

The Cougars were able to claim two out of three matches in doubles action.

Welkner and Mims bested the team of Perrinco and Moyzis 8-5.

Perez and Olson were able to outlast the Byers and Haas team 9-7.

The lone win came from the team of Mega and Olson, which defeated Turpin and Manjengwa 8-4.

The loss puts the Flyers at 0-7 overall and 0-1 in the GLVC.

Over the break, the Cougars traveled to Pensacola to compete against four teams and came up short in all four outings. They were bested 9-0 in all matches.

The Cougars' next match will be in Evansville, Ind., when they take their two-game conference winning streak to the University of Southern Indiana.