Men’s Tennis

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s tennis team made quick work of Marian University on Friday night with a 9-0 nonconference victory at Fox Cities Racquet Club.

Lawrence (5-3) lost just four games total as it raced out to a 3-0 edge after sweeping the doubles matches.

The Vikings then posted four 6-0, 6-0 victories on their way to sweeping the singles. David Jumes at No. 1, Sotaro Kurahashi at No. 2, Ethan Perushek at No. 4 and Izaya Turenne at No. 5 all won without losing a game.

It was a big night for freshman Ben Tomhave, who picked up his first collegiate victories. Tomhave teamed with Turenne for an 8-1 win at No. 3 doubles and then posted a 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 6 singles.

Marian dropped to 0-3 on the season.

Lawrence University 9, Marian University 0

Singles competition 
1. David Jumes (LU) def. Jose Valencia (MU) 6-0, 6-0
2. Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) def. Spencer Braswell (MU) 6-0, 6-0
3. Mitch Kasprzyk (LU) def. Payton Trammel (MU) 6-0, 6-2
4. Ethan Perushek (LU) def. Mike Kunes (MU) 6-0, 6-0
5. Izaya Turenne (LU) def. Jacob Ryd (MU) 6-0, 6-0
6. Ben Tomhave (LU) def. Zachary Stanczyk (MU) 6-1, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Brian DeCorte/Adam Busch (LU) def. Jose Valencia/Spencer Braswell (MU) 8-2
2. David Jumes/Ethan Perushek (LU) def. Payton Trammel/Mike Kunes (MU) 8-1
3. Izaya Turenne/Ben Tomhave (LU) def. Jacob Ryd/Zachary Stanczyk (MU) 8-1

DUBUQUE, Iowa — The Lawrence University men’s tennis team swept the doubles competition and went on to a 5-4 nonconference win over the University of Dubuque on Saturday.

Lawrence (4-3) jumped out to a 3-0 lead over the Spartans (4-8) after the doubles play. David Jumes and Sotaro Kurhashi were 8-6 winners at No. 1. Brian DeCorte and Adam Busch won 8-3 at No. 2, and Mitch Kasprzyk and Ethan Perushek posted a 9-7 win at No. 3.

After Perushek beat Zebulon Hill 6-2, 6-0 at No. 6 singles, the Vikings led 4-1, but Dubuque won the next two matches to close the margin. Jumes then posted a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Richard Rhinehart at No. 1 to close out the victory for Lawrence.

Lawrence University 5, University of Dubuque 4

Singles competition
1. David Jumes (LU) def. Richard Rhinehart (DBQ) 7-5, 6-3
2. Matthew Sablay (DBQ) def. Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) 7-6, 6-1
3. Nikolay Gospodinov (DBQ) def. Brian DeCorte (LU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
4. Ranfer Hernandez (DBQ) def. Mitch Kasprzyk (LU) 6-1, 6-2
5. Jordan Hamling (DBQ) def. Adam Busch (LU) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
6. Ethan Perushek (LU) def. Zebulon Hill (DBQ) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. David Jumes/Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) def. Matthew Sablay/Ranfer Hernandez (DBQ) 8-6
2. Brian DeCorte/Adam Busch (LU) def. Jordan Hamling/Richard Rhinehart (DBQ) 8-3
3. Mitch Kasprzyk/Ethan Perushek (LU) def. Nikolay Gospodinov/Zebulon Hill (DBQ) 9-7

DUBUQUE, Iowa — The UW-Eau Claire men’s tennis team swept the singles matches on Saturday en route to an 8-1 nonconference win over Lawrence University.

Lawrence (3-3) picked up its lone win of the day when the No. 1 doubles team of David Jumes and Sotaro Kurahashi defeated Kyle Hoffmann and Andrew Dahl posted a 9-8 victory.

Eau Claire improved to 8-3 on the season.

UW-Eau Claire 8, Lawrence University 1

Singles competition
1. Kyle Hoffmann (UWEC) def. David Jumes (LU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Will Weyenberg (UWEC) def. Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) 6-0, 6-0
3. Andrew Rust (UWEC) def. Brian DeCorte (LU) 6-4, 6-1
4. Michael Mauthe (UWEC) def. Mitch Kasprzyk (LU) 6-0, 6-1
5. Andrew Dahl (UWEC) def. Adam Busch (LU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Jordon Stevens (UWEC) def. Ethan Perushek (LU) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. David Jumes/Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) def. Kyle Hoffmann/Andrew Dahl (UWEC) 9-8
2. Will Weyenberg/Andrew Rust (UWEC) def. Brian DeCorte/Adam Busch (LU) 8-3
3. Michael Mauthe/Jordon Stevens (UWEC) def. Mitch Kasprzyk/Ethan Perushek (LU) 8-0

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s tennis team rallied but fell short in a 5-4 nonconference loss at MSOE on Sunday.

Lawrence (3-2) dropped all three doubles matches to start the day, but the Vikings rallied during singles play.

David Jumes started singles with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 1 for Lawrence’s first point. The Vikings followed with wins by Adam Busch at No. 5, Brian DeCorte at No. 3 and Mitch Kasprzyk at No. 4 to grab a 4-3 advantage over the Raiders (4-6).

MSOE came back to win the day’s final two matches, at No. 2 and No. 6 singles, to pull out the 5-4 victory.

MSOE 5, Lawrence University 4

Singles competition
1. David Jumes (LU) def. Dam, Zachary (MSOE) 6-1, 6-2
2. Price, John (MSOE) def. Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) 7-5, 6-1
3. Brian DeCorte (LU) def. Slaughter, Matthew (MSOE) 6-2, 6-2
4. Mitch Kasprzyk (LU) def. Smith, Tom (MSOE) 0-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-3)
5. Adam Busch (LU) def. Sauder, Mason (MSOE) 6-2, 6-1
6. Kosasih, Andrew (MSOE) def. Izaya Turenne (LU) 7-6, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Dam, Zachary/Slaughter, Matthew (MSOE) def. David Jumes/Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) 8-5
2. Smith, Tom/Price, John (MSOE) def. Brian DeCorte/Adam Busch (LU) 8-4
3. Sauder, Mason/Gorodetsky, David (MSOE) def. Mitch Kasprzyk/Ethan Perushek (LU) 8-3

Match Notes: Order of finish, doubles 3, 1, 2; singles 1, 3, 5, 4, 2, 6
Lawrence University 3-2
MSOE 4-6
T-3:00 A-25

NEW BERLIN, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s tennis team rolled to an 8-1 nonconference victory over Wisconsin Lutheran College Friday night at the Moorland Park Tennis Center.

The Vikings (3-1) ran its win streak to three matches and jumped on Wisconsin Lutheran (0-5) early. Lawrence won all three doubles flights to take control of the match.

Sotaro Kurahashi (No. 2), Brian DeCorte (No. 3), Mitch Kasprzyk (No. 4), Adam Busch (No. 5) and Izaya Turenne (No. 6) all won in straight sets in singles. Busch posted a shutout with a 6-0, 6-0 victory, and Kasprzyk dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win.

Lawrence University 8, Wisconsin Lutheran 1

Singles competition
1. Johnson, Lee (WLC) def. David Jumes (LU) 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-3)
2. Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) def. Birner, Zach (WLC) 6-4, 6-4
3. Brian DeCorte (LU) def. Sallmann, Derek (WLC) 7-5, 6-3
4. Mitch Kasprzyk (LU) def. Breister, Adam (WLC) 6-0, 6-1
5. Adam Busch (LU) def. Wagenknecht, Austin (WLC) 6-0, 6-0
6. Izaya Turenne (LU) def. Wordell, Ben (WLC) 6-2, 6-4

Doubles competition
1. David Jumes/Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) def. Johnson, Lee/Birner, Zach (WLC) 8-2
2. Brian DeCorte/Adam Busch (LU) def. Sallmann, Derek/Wagenknecht, Austin (WLC) 8-4
3. Mitch Kasprzyk/Ethan Perushek (LU) def. Breister, Adam/Wordell, Ben (WLC) 8-4

Match Notes:
Lawrence University 3-1
Wisconsin Lutheran 0-5
T-2:30 A-25

MEQUON, Wis. — David Jumes, Brian DeCorte and Adam Busch all won twice on Friday to lead the Lawrence University men’s tennis team to a 6-3 nonconference victory over Concordia (Wis.) University.

Jumes teamed with Sotaro Kurahashi for an 8-1 win at No. 1 doubles to start the day. Jumes then downed Trevor Budewitz 6-1, 7-5 at No. 1 singles.

DeCorte and Busch teamed up for an 8-5 win at No. 2 doubles. DeCorte then defeated Ben Nommensen 7-6, 3-6, 1-0 (10-4) for a win at No. 3 singles. Busch topped Brad Guendel 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-7) at No. 4 singles. Busch’s singles victory also clinched the match for the Vikings.

Izaya Turenne also posted a 6-4, 6-2 victory at No. 6 singles for the Vikings.

Lawrence University 6, Concordia Wisconsin 3

Singles competition
1. David Jumes (LU) def. Budewitz, Trevor (CUW) 6-1, 7-5
2. Schaffner, Ceejay (CUW) def. Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) 6-1, 5-7, 1-0 (10-8)
3. Brian DeCorte (LU) def. Nommensen, Benjamin (CUW) 7-6, 3-6, 1-0 (10-4)
4. Adam Busch (LU) def. Guendel, Brad (CUW) 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-7)
5. Fritz, Steven (CUW) def. Ethan Perushek (LU) 1-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-7)
6. Izaya Turenne (LU) def. Schotte, Jonathan (CUW) 6-4, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. David Jumes/Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) def. Schaffner, Ceejay/Nommensen, Benjamin (CUW) 8-1
2. Brian DeCorte/Adam Busch (LU) def. Guendel, Brad/Fritz, Steven (CUW) 8-5
3. Budewitz, Trevor/Gold, Nick (CUW) def. Ethan Perushek/Izaya Turenne (LU) 8-4

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University men’s tennis player Ethan Perushek has been named the Midwest Conference Player of the Week.

Perushek (Maple Grove, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret’s) picked up the honor in the wake of Lawrence’s 9-0 victory over Lakeland College on Feb. 13.

Perushek dropped just one game in his season debut as he swept his singles and doubles matches against the Muskies. Perushek teamed with Mitch Kasprzyk (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) for an 8-0 victory at No. 3 doubles to start the day. Perushek then posted a 6-1, 6-0 over Carlos Rodriguez at No. 6 singles.

Lawrence improved to 1-1 on the season, and the Vikings are back in action on Friday when they travel to Concordia (Wis.) University.

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s tennis team picked up its first win of the young season in impressive fashion with a 9-0 nonconference victory over Lakeland College at Fox Cities Racquet Club.

The Vikings (1-1) did not drop a set en route to the shutout. Lawrence lost a mere 11 games in singles and dropped just two games in the three doubles matches.

Freshman Sotaro Kurashashi picked up his first collegiate victories in both singles and doubles. He teamed with David Jumes at No. 1 doubles for an 8-0 win and then downed Greg Boknevitz 6-2, 6-4 at No. 2 singles.

Mitch Kasprzyk and Ethan Perushek also posted an 8-0 win at No.  3 doubles. Adam Busch picked up a shutout win at No. 5 singles as he defeated Koki Saito 6-0, 6-0.

Lawrence University 9, Lakeland College 0

Singles competition
1. David Jumes (LU) def. Paul Elzinga (LC) 6-1, 6-0
2. Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) def. Greg Boknevitz (LC) 6-2, 6-4
3. Brian DeCorte (LU) def. Quentin Barthe (LC) 6-1, 6-0
4. Mitch Kasprzyk (LU) def. ShoSean Fujino (LC) 6-1, 6-1
5. Adam Busch (LU) def. Koki Saito (LC) 6-0, 6-0
6. Ethan Perushek (LU) def. Carlos Rodriguez (LC) 6-1, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. David Jumes/Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) def. Greg Boknevitz/ShoSean Fujino (LC) 8-0
2. Brian DeCorte/Adam Busch (LU) def. Quentin Barthe/Paul Elzinga (LC) 8-2
3. Mitch Kasprzyk/Ethan Perushek (LU) def. Koki Saito/Carlos Rodriguez (LC) 8-0

Match Notes:
Lakeland College 0-1
Lawrence University 1-1
Order of finish: Doubles 3, 1, 2 … Singles, 6, 4, 5, 3, 1, 2
T-2:00 A-25

APPLETON, Wis. — The UW-La Crosse men’s tennis team topped Lawrence University 9-0 in a nonconference match on Friday night at Fox Cities Racquet Club. The Eagles didn’t drop a set en route to the victory. It was the season opener for the Vikings.

UW-La Crosse 9, Lawrence University 0

Singles competition
1. Peter Stadum (UWL) def. David Jumes (LU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Tony Mirasola (UWL) def. Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) 6-1, 6-0
3. Kyle McGrane (UWL) def. Brian DeCorte (LU) 6-0, 6-0
4. Nick Skanavis (UWL) def. Adam Busch (LU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Dante Pitera (UWL) def. Ethan Perushek (LU) 6-0, 6-0
6. Matt Bulger (UWL) def. Izaya Turenne (LU) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Peter Stadum/Tony Mirasola (UWL) def. David Jumes/Sotaro Kurahashi (LU) 8-3
2. Kyle McGrane/Matt Lindsay (UWL) def. Adam Busch/Brian DeCorte (LU) 8-5
3. Nick Skanavis/Dante Pitera (UWL) def. Ethan Perushek/Ben Tomhave (LU) 8-0

Match Notes:
UW-La Crosse 1-1
Lawrence University 0-1
T-2:00 A-25

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University men’s tennis coach Steve Francour knows his Vikings will be better this spring, but he isn’t sure is his team will take a small step or a great leap forward.

“After the fall preparations and what I see now, the confidence level and the understandings of their game is much better,” said Francour, who is starting his second season with the Lawrence men’s team. “We have a couple of new guys that are going to make a difference for us as well. It’s all good so far.”

The Vikings open the season Friday night at Fox Cities Racquet Club when they host UW-La Crosse. Lawrence finished with a 4-13 record a season ago as Francour took the reins of the program after coaching for more than two decades at UW-Oshkosh. With only one player lost to graduation from last season, the Vikings return a young (no seniors) but experienced team.

“I like the returning players that we have,” Francour said. “For a lot of them last year was their first go-round playing competitive matches. They had been on the team, but they didn’t play a lot of matches.”

Leading the returning players is Appleton native David Jumes, who posted the best singles record on the team at 14-7. The sophomore reached the semifinals of the Midwest Conference Championships at No. 2 and will move up to No. 1 this season.

“David had an outstanding year last year,” Francour said. “I can just tell that he gets stuff a little bit more this year. He knows what he need to.”

Francour added that Jumes has a quality all-court game. He can hit with players from the baseline or he can attack the net.

“He is good playing defensively. He’s good playing offense, and he can transition between the two. He’s just an instinctual player,” Francour said. “Some kids have to think their way through some things. David doesn’t. He just plays. It’s impressive what he does.”

The Vikings also return starters Brian DeCorte, Mitch Kasprzyk, Adam Busch and Ethan Perushek from a season ago. The Vikings also will get hockey standout Blake Roubos back after his season is complete next month. DeCorte was the starter at No. 1 last year but will likely play No. 3 this season. Kasprzyk, Busch and Perushek were all starters in the final three singles positions last season, and Roubos was a regular in doubles.

Lawrence also has four freshmen players, led by Japanese student Sotaro Kurahashi. Kurahashi is a student at Waseda University and is attending Lawrence for one year. Francour already has Kurahashi penciled in as the starter at No. 2 singles.

Fellow rookie player Ben Tomhave is Kurahashi’s roommate, and that bond has made Kurahashi’s transition to the team much easier.

“They have a super great connection,” Francour said of Kurahashi and Tomhave. “If there’s anything that is said that Sotaro doesn’t get, he goes to Ben. Ben knows how to say it where Sotaro understands. Having Ben as the roommate and interpreter has been great.”

Kurahashi, who will team with Jumes at No. 1 doubles, is the third Waseda student to play tennis for the Vikings, joining Yasushi Kobayashi in 2010 and Shota Nakada in 2012. Joining Kurahashi and Tomhave as rookies are Izaya Turenne and Bill Schuman.

This season is the first campaign without divisional play in the Midwest Conference. For many years, the teams had been split into North and South divisions with the top two teams in each division playing for the league championship. Lawrence will now play the other nine teams in the league and the top four will make the team tournament. Singles and doubles championships will be contested as in the past.

Grinnell, Carroll, Lake Forest and Monmouth look to be the favorites this year, but Francour hopes the Vikings can battle for one of those coveted four spots.

“We will be improved, but I don’t know if we will be improved enough to get in the top four,” Francour said. “We will see, but we will be much better than we were last year.”