By Dave Hunter (dhunter)
VU 4-1 this season against NCAA Division I teams.....
Indianapolis, Ind., Mar. 25 – The Vincennes University tennis team picked up its 12th straight win Tuesday afternoon, beating IUPUI, 4-2, at the Indianapolis Tennis Center.
The victory improved the Trailblazers’overall record to 13-2 including a 4-1 mark against NCAA Division I schools.
Due to the threat of rain, the teams played the singles matches first and abandoned the doubles after the outcome of the match had been determined.
The middle and bottom of the lineup carried the team Tuesday.
“We’ve had it both ways,” VU coach Ron Albers said. “Some matches, the top and middle of the lineup carries us and that’s what the guys at three through six did today.”
Greenwood native and Center Grove graduate Binky Nikou (9-5), the 2005 Indiana High School champion, got the decisive point when he beat E.J. Dechow, 6-3, 6-1, at No. 3 singles.
“He was shaky at the start of the match and had trouble returning serve,” Albers said. “He made some adjustments, played smart tennis and controlled the points. He’s getting into match shape where he needs to be.”
Sophomore Charles Hodge (6-0) and freshman Jimmy Dunseith (10-5) were the first two matches off the courts giving Vincennes a 2-0 lead.
Hodge beat Josh Kutch, 6-0, 6-1, at sixth singles while Dunseith topped Blake Powers, 6-3, 6-2, at five.
“They both had really good wins,” Albers said. “Hodge is playing very good tennis right now and Jimmy had a great game plan and stuck with it. He got a break at 4-3 in the first set, held and never let Powers in the second set.”
Another key element in the win was a victory at fourth singles by freshman Chris King ((9-4) who was playing through flu symptoms.
“King played well in spite of how he felt,” Albers said. “He stepped up and played a good match. He had a late break in the second set and made it stand up. It was a gutty performance from him.”
Sophomore David Jackson (12-3) lost to Gabriel Garcia at No. 1 singles in a super tiebreak in lieu of a third set after he had three match points in the second set tiebreak.
“He got a little passive,” Albers said. “You do that against a top-notch and experienced player and he’ll come back.”
The Trailblazers play in the Division II Kerry Seward Invitational tournament at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind., Friday and Saturday. They’ve won the title the past two years, but Albers expects a more difficult road this time.
“They added Carthage (Wis.) and Coe (Iowa), both good teams to the field and Wabash is a much-improved team as well,” he said.
Vincennes 4; IUPUI 2
Singles
No. 1 – Gabriel Garcia (IUPUI) def. David Jackson, 1-6, 7-6(6), 1-0(4)
No. 2 – Gregory Sosa (IUPUI) def. Jaime Esteban, 6-2, 6-1
No. 3 – Binky Nikou (V) def. E.J. Dechow, 6-3, 6-1
No. 4 – Chris King (V) def. Jorge Yunes, 6-2, 6-3
No. 5 – Jimmy Dunseith (V) def. Blake Powers, 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 – Charles Hodge (V) def. Josh Kutch, 6-0, 6-1
Order of finish: 5, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1
Doubles - cancelled
