By Dave Hunter (dhunter)

Esteban wins at No. 1 singles, Nikou & King at No. 1 doubles.....

            Godfrey, Ill., Apr. 4-5 – The Vincennes University tennis team finished second in the Lewis & Clark quad tournament in Godfrey, Ill., Saturday, losing 25-17 to Johnson County Kan., while host Lewis & Clark and Lake Land, Ill., each tied with six points.

            “For all we’ve accomplished so far, this was a big challenge that was not met,” said Vincennes coach Ron Albers.

            The Blazers (22-3) were facing junior college foes for the first time this season without their top singles players, freshman Justin Harlow (1-1) and sophomore David Jackson (16-3). Harlow has been injured since the second match of the season and Jackson was absent due to the death of his grandmother.

            Albers, however, was extremely disappointed in the outcome in spite of his team’s disadvantages.

            “There’s no excuse, you step on the court and play,” he said. “Our trade mark has been winning tight matches and we didn’t do it today.”

            The tournament began with the doubles matches Friday afternoon.

            Sophomore Binky Nikou and freshman Chris King captured the No. 1 flight, but the Blazers finished second at No. 2 and third at third doubles.

            Saturday didn’t dawn much better for VU other than the play of sophomore Jaime Esteban.

            He was the only singles player to go undefeated, beating Mateo Trujillo of Lake Land, 6-1, 6-2, and Taj Harrison of Johnson County , 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1.

            “Jaime was a big plus,” Albers said. “He stepped up, played well and made a mark.”

            King, freshman Jimmy Dunseith and sophomore Charles Hodge all reached finals, but lost. King and Hodge split sets before losing match tie breaks, while Dunseith had a 5-2 lead in his singles final against Zach Buenger of Johnson County, but lost 11 of the final 12 games.

            “We went 2-4 in split set matches and that’s not good,” Albers said. “They had an opportunity to step up and we didn’t. There’s no if’s and’s or but’s about it.”

            “Everyone had a chance to contribute, but we didn’t play well in the close matches, in the match tie breaks and didn’t take command of matches when we could have dictated play.”

            Harlow and Jackson are expected to return next week and play Tuesday when VU hosts Oakland City at 3 p.m., Vincennes time.

Johnson County 25, VU 17, Lake Land 6, Lewis & Clark 6
Singles
No. 1 – Jaime Esteban def. Mateo Trujillo (LL), 6-1, 6-2
            Esteban def. Taj Harrison (JC), 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 – Chris King def. Evan Brown (LC), 6-0, 6-0
            Dylan Gatton (JC) def. King, 6-2, 1-6, 1-0(8)
No. 3 – Adam Rens (JC) def. Binky Nikou, 6-1, 6-1
            Nikou def. Josh Patrick (LL), 6-1, 6-4
No. 4 – Jimmy Dunseith def. Blake Cutright (LL), 6-3, 3-6, 1-0(9)
            Zach Buenger (JC) def Dunseith, 7-5, 6-1
No. 5 – Charles Hodge def. Rory Morse (LC), 6-1, 6-0
            Luis Costa Sperb (JC) def. Hodge, 5-7, 6-4, 1-0(4)
No. 6 – Zach Alholm (JC) def. McKenzie Bean, 6-2, 4-6, 1-0(7)
            Bean def. Alex Goeckner (LL), 6-1, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1 – Nikou-King def. Trujillo-Patrick (LL), 6-4, 6-2
            Nikou-King def. Rens-Harrison, (JC), 3-6, 6-3, 1-0(4)
No. 2 – Esteban-Hodge def. Diego Oliver-Pat Hart (LC), 6-0, 6-1
            Buenger-Gatton (JC) def. Esteban-Hodge, 6-3, 6-4
No. 3 – Alholm-Sperb (JC) def. Dunseith-Tony Kanavos, 6-4, 3-6, 1-0(6)
               Dunseith-Kanavos def. Cutright-Mike Schottman (LL), 6-3, 6-1