For the second time in the last four matches, the Valparaiso University men’s tennis team showed its ability to bounce back after dropping the doubles point. Valpo overcame the early hole on Friday night by sweeping the singles courts en route to a 6-1 road win over Oral Roberts in Summit League action.

How It Happened

• The Golden Eagles (1-4, 0-1) clinched the doubles point on a 7-6(1) win at No. 1 doubles after having already won third doubles 6-3. The No. 2 doubles match was deadlocked 6-6 when play was halted.
• From there, it was all Valpo, as the visitors took five of the six singles matches in straight sets on their way to their first league win of the year. Kweisi Kenyatte (Detroit, Mich. / East English Village Preparatory) rolled to a 6-2, 6-2 win over Andre Russo at No. 3 in the first match to finish, before Chad Kissell (Latrobe, Pa. / Greater Latrobe) finished off his No. 1 singles opponent, Barnabas Koncz, by that same score to put Valpo ahead in the team score 2-1.
• Brian Pecyna (Glen Ellyn, Ill. / Homeschool) and Daniel Langston (Ponca City, Okla. / Ponca City) continued the success at fourth and fifth singles, respectively, as both garnered 6-3, 6-3 victories.
• Brandon Ancona (Belvidere, Ill. / Rockford Christian) prevailed in the only three-set affair of the evening at No. 2, registering a 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 win over Kenneth Boykin. Gabriel Carvajal (Pembroke Pines, Fla. / Broward Virtual School [Florida Atlantic]) capped the singles sweep with his 6-0, 6-3 victory at No. 6.

Inside the Match

• Kissell boosted his career win total to 71, which ranks fourth in program history. He needs four more to tie current assistant coach Dave Bacalla (2013-2017) for third all-time.
• Ancona continued his grasp on the team lead in singles wins with his 13^th of the year.
• Kenyatte is 5-1 on the spring and is up to 10 wins for the season.
• Carvajal bounced back from his first spring setback on Sunday at Denver by improving his spring record to 6-1.
• Pecyna is second on the team with 12 wins for the season, while Langston cracked double figures with his 10^th win of the year on Friday.

Up Next

Valpo (5-2, 1-1) will remain in Tulsa, Okla. to play a neutral site match against Lamar on Saturday that is slated to begin at 6 p.m. CT. Please note the time change from the original start time.