MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Iowa men’s tennis team headed north for individual competition at the ITA Central Regional tournament.
Two Hawkeyes earned victories in singles on Thursday at the Baseline Tennis Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Sophomore Jason Kerst got the Hawkeyes their first win of the regional, defeating Carlos Martinez of South Dakota State, 6-0, 6-2. Senior Jake Jacoby handed University of Kansas City-Missouri’s Anil Patel his first loss of the tournament in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.
Four other Hawkeyes dropped their first singles match of the tournament. Iowa’s three freshmen each lost in three sets. Creighton’s Stratton Brown defeated Will Davies, 6-0, 2-6, 6-2. Nathan Reekie of Omaha beat Piotr Smietana, 2-6, 6-1, 6-3. Joe Tyler fell to Luke Hammond from Oklahoma State, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-3.
Junior Jonas Larsen also lost in three sets, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, to Mason Bridegan of Oklahoma.
Doubles got under way and the freshmen duo of Davies and Tyler took down Creighton’s Alex Koca and Brooks Kendall, 8-2. The tandem of Jacoby and Larsen notched a victory over Oral Robert’s Koncz and Santamaria, 8-5. Kerst and Smietana fell to Dobbs and Milicevic of Minnesota, 8-4.
You can follow Friday's results on the official twitter account of Hawkeye Tennis (@IowaMensTennis) and live streaming is also available through (gophersports.com).
SINGLES
Brown (CRE) def. Davies (UI): 6-0, 2-6, 6-2
Reekie (OMA) def. Smietana (UI): 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
Kerst (UI) def. Martinez (SDSU): 6-0, 6-2
Jacoby (UI) def. Patel (UMKC): 6-2, 6-2
Hammond (OKST) def. Tyler (UI): 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-3
Bridegan (OKLA) def. Larsen (UI): 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
DOUBLES
Davies/Tyler (UI) def. Koca/Kendall (CRE): 8-2
Dobbs/Milicevic (MN) def. Kerst/Smietana (UI): 8-4
Jacoby/Larsen (UI) def. Koncz/Santamaria (ORU): 8-5