WICHITA FALLS, TX — The McKendree University Men’s Tennis team fought hard but ultimately fell 5-2 to Midwestern State University-Texas after the Mustangs claimed the doubles point and secured four singles victories on their home courts.
Doubles Play: Midwestern State Takes Early Advantage
Midwestern State jumped out to an early lead by sweeping the doubles matches. In the first match of the day, Ignacio Paolini and Bendix Schroeder of McKendree were defeated 6-3 at No. 1 doubles by Germano Setti and his partner.
The McKendree pairing of Felix Diedrichs and Riccardo Ercolani fell 6-2 at No. 2 doubles, and at No. 3 doubles, Aimar Oregui and Arhaan Pahwa were handed a 6-1 defeat, allowing the Mustangs to claim the all-important doubles point.
Singles Play: McKendree Shows Resilience
Despite the early deficit, McKendree showed resilience in singles play. At No. 1 singles, Ignacio Paolini delivered a strong performance by overcoming the nation’s No. 8 player, Germano Setti.
Paolini won the opening set 6-4, lost the second set 3-6, and battled back in a tiebreaker to win 10-6, giving McKendree its first point.
McKendree added another point at No. 6 singles, where Aimar Oregui defeated Tomas Leguizamon Chaves. Oregui dominated the first set 6-2, lost a close 7-6 second set, and then fought back in the match tiebreak to secure a 10-5 win.
Competitive Matches Throughout
Other singles matches were competitive, but McKendree came up short in the end. At No. 3 singles, Felix Diedrichs won the opening set 6-4, but Jose Marquez of Midwestern State bounced back to win the next two sets 6-0 and 6-2, sealing the victory for the Mustangs.
Midwestern State also claimed straight-set victories at No. 2, No. 4, and No. 5 singles, ultimately securing the 5-2 team victory.
Although McKendree was defeated by a 5-2 score, the victories from Paolini and Oregui showcased the team’s fight and determination. Despite the early setbacks in doubles, McKendree displayed resilience and competitive spirit throughout the singles matches.
