Tennis hot at Texas Tamale Company Rice Invitational

Men vs. Wichita State

VCU wrapped up the Texas Tamale Company Rice Invitational in Houston Sunday by falling to Wichita State University 4-0. The Shockers took the doubles point by winning on the No. 2 and 3 courts despite sophomore Javier Amantegui and junior Victor Lima’s 6-2 win on the No. 1 doubles court.

Wichita State victories on the No. 1, 3 and 4 singles courts secured the match early on. Junior Arvid Noren and freshman Inigo Torre Martin each forced third sets in their singles matches, but their contests went unfinished.   

Women vs. ETSU

After their game was postponed Tuesday the ladies’ tennis team hosted and fell to the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers 5-2. The Rams were riding high coming into these doubles and singles matches, as their record sat at 11-2 and they sported a nine game winning streak.

ETSU got off to a hot start, winning the first three matches of the day. They did so in dominating fashion as well — all three games went only to two sets. VCU responded well, reeling off back to back wins to pull the match score to 3-2.

Sophomore Noumea Witmus defeated her opponent Alejandra Morales in three sets, 7-5, 3-6,7-5, in her victory. Kanako Yano followed up Witmus’ win with one of her own, doing so with ease as her match only took two sets. Yano one both sets with scores of 6-4 and 6-0.

In the end the Rams were unable to dig out of their early deficit as they lost in singles matches by a score of 4-2. In doubles three games were played but only two finished. The matchup of freshman Paola Exposito Diaz Delgado and Witmus for VCU versus Yi Chi Ma and Melissa Esguerra did not finish because the team match had already been decided.

In the two doubles games that did finish, ETSU claimed victory in both, with scores of 6-4 in both matchups. The Rams win streak ended on Saturday at the hands of the Buccaneers.

Look for women’s tennis to bounce back next Saturday against George Washington University at noon.

Men vs. Rice

This weekend men’s tennis went all the way down to Texas for the Rice Invitational where their first game on Saturday was against the hosts, who the Rams defeated 4-2.

The tandem of Noren and Torre Martin was outstanding in their doubles appearance, handing out a 6-1 match victory against their opponents Ashton Duke and Eric Rutledge for Rice.

To cap off the doubles victory for the Rams the dynamic duo of Lima and Amantegui came through with a victory of their own, 6-3. Next, in the singles VCU closed out strong to take victory in singles competition 3-2 despite falling behind 2-0 early. The Rams made the comeback with three consecutive victories to steal away the singles points.

The last match pit Ignacio Rivero Crespo of VCU against Jared Aiman of Rice with the previous four singles matches totaled at two apiece. Crespo completely dominated his opponent, winning both sets 6-0.

Men vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi

Down in Texas the Rams played two games on Saturday. Their second game of the day was against Texas A&M University Corpus Christi.

The doubles matches were a struggle for the Black and Gold. VCU ended up losing two out of three games. VCU dominated A&M Corpus Christi 6-1 in the first doubles game.

The men battling in the singles matches would have to carry VCU to an overall match victory, and they did just that. Out of six singles matches, VCU came away with four victories. Amantegui and Torre Martin won their individual singles within only two sets.

Through Saturday the Rice invitational was a major success for the Rams. Scoring two victories on the day, this one against A&M Corpus Christi by a score of 4-2.

Men’s tennis will return to action at home Friday, March 30 when they take on the Monarchs of Old Dominion University.

Nile McNair, Contributing writer