Hugo Santos
In a thrilling display of skill and determination, the Doane University Men’s Tennis team emerged victorious against Bethany College with a resounding 6-1 win. The Women’s team fought bravely but came up short against the same opponent. Both matches, held on March 20 at Doane University, showcased exceptional talent and cohesion by the two teams.
In the single matches, the Men’s team achieved several significant victories. Senior Esteban Gutierrez secured a hard-fought win, with a score of 6-0, 2-6, 1-0 (10-4), marking his 42nd career singles victory and elevating him to second place on the program’s all-time wins list since 1990.
“I’m really happy we won and even happier I could move up to 2nd place. It means a lot to me and the whole team,” Gutierrez said.
In additional single matchups, sophomore Diego Infante emerged victorious at 4-singles with a score of 6-2, 7-6 (7-2), while freshman Elliott Dassel displayed dominance with a flawless 6-0, 6-0 win at 5-singles. Freshman Julio Avila rounded off the singles action with an impressive 6-0, 6-0 triumph at 6-singles.
The doubles matches saw a commanding performance from the Tigers as they swept all three contests. Diego Infante and senior Federico Infante secured a 6-3 victory, while Gutierrez and junior Jose Purizaca exhibited great teamwork and won by 6-1 at 2-doubles. Freshman Andre Hartman and Dassel capped off the doubles action with a solid 6-1 victory at 3-doubles.
“It’s a great day for all of us. Winning singles and doubles is really important and shows how competitive we are. I hope we can keep the streak going,” Federico Infante said.
On the other hand, the Doane University women’s tennis team lost to Bethany by 5-2.
The doubles matches saw Doane claiming victory at No. 1, courtesy of freshman Maria Purizaca Soto and sophomore Grace Schroller, who secured a solid 6-1 win. However, the team faced tough competition at 2-doubles, with freshman Sofia Hurst and junior Cierra Schwarzkopf falling short with a score of 5-7. Similarly, at 3-doubles, the pairing of freshman Isabella Castillero and senior Emily Guiton faced a tough challenge, ultimately conceding the match with a score of 4-6, granting Bethany the doubles point.
Transitioning to singles play, Doane fought back with a stellar performance from Purizaca Soto at 1-singles, who dominated with a commanding 6-0, 6-1 victory. Castillero showcased her resilience at 5-singles, posing a hard-fought win in a tie-break with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-7).
“We put up a great fight against Bethany,” Schroller said. “Our girls have been working really hard not only on the court but off the court during conditioning and I think that really showed during the match. Doubles went really well for me and my partner, as the energy was high and we both came ready to win. I look forward to see how we play as GPAC matches begin soon.”
Despite these victories, the Tigers encountered tough opposition in the remaining four single matches, with two of them featuring closely contested first-set tie-breaks.
Although the outcome did not fully swing in their favor, the Women’s tennis team displayed determination and skill throughout the match, setting a strong foundation for the challenges ahead in the season.