Northwestern Bests Men's Tennis, 7-0
(Hastings, NE) – Needing a win over Northwestern to get into the GPAC Tournament, the Hastings Broncos fell short, losing 7-0 to the Red Raiders on Senior Day despite some very competitive matches.
(Hastings, NE) – Needing a win over Northwestern to get into the GPAC Tournament, the Hastings Broncos fell short, losing 7-0 to the Red Raiders on Senior Day despite some very competitive matches.
Northwestern won the #1 doubles match by a 6-1 score, but senior Nick Smeltzer and junior Ethan Mins won 6-4 at #2 doubles to make the #3 doubles match the deciding match for the doubles point. In the #3 doubles match, freshmen Ben Hafer and Alex Hafer broke the serve of the Red Raiders and held a 5-3 lead. Northwestern was able to storm back to take a 6-5 lead and broke the Broncos serve in the next game to take the doubles point.
The singles matches featured similar high quality tennis with the conference match intensity. Freshman Joel Carter won his first set 6-4 at #1 singles, but Northwestern bounced back to win the next two sets 6-3, 6-2. At #2 singles, Smeltzer came back from losing his first set to win the second set 6-1. He got an early break of serve to start off the third set, but the Red Raiders prevailed 6-3.
At #4 singles, B. Hafer also had a very competitive match as neither opponent ever led by more than two games. Northwestern won the first set 7-5 and the second set 6-4. Northwestern won at #3 and #5 singles by a 6-2, 6-1 to go up 6-0. Freshman Ethan Zimmerman lost the opening set at #6 singles 6-3 and the Red Raiders pulled out the second set by the score of 6-4 to win the match 7-0.
The loss concludes the Broncos' season as they make preparations for next season.
