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Wayne State University Athletics

3
Northwest Missouri State NWMSU (3-3)
4
Winner Wayne State WSUM (6-4)
Northwest Missouri State NWMSU
(3-3)
3
Final
4
Wayne State WSUM
(6-4)
Winner
Joe Kelt vs. UIndy (02-18-2023)
Joe Kelt picked up a big victory for the Warriors at the No. 5 spot to help the team to a win against NWMSU.

Match Recap: Men's Tennis | | Matthew Jurek, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Men's Tennis Snaps Three-Match Skid With 4-3 Win Over #16-Northwest Missouri State

The Warriors defeat a ranked Division II team for the second time this season.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Wayne State University men's tennis team (6-4 overall) defeated No. 16 ranked Northwest Missouri State (3-3 overall) 4-3 on Saturday night at the Cooper Tennis Complex to break its three-match losing streak. 

DOUBLES
The Warriors put in an overall complete effort in doubles, securing the all-important first point of the contest. 

Cedric Drenth (Sulzbach, Germany) and Daniel Grey (Wiesbaden, Germany) made quick work of their Bearcat opponents at No. 1 doubles, not losing a game and winning 6-0.

Likewise, Luke Laws (Sunderland, England) and Dom Spicer (London, England) also earned victory. They won from the No. 2 doubles spot by a 6-3 margin to stay unbeaten as a doubles tandem. 

No. 3 doubles was unable to finish their match with the point already claimed. Joe Kelt (Ilkley, West Yorkshire, England) and Denali Kitayama (West Bloomfield Township, Mich.) were ahead 5-3 in their match at the time it was called. 

SINGLES
WSU and NWMSU split the six singles matches envenly (3-3), but it was the Green and Gold's prevailing in doubles play that helped them earn the win. 

Grey, Niklas Karcz (Bottrop, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany), and Kelt all were victorious for the Warriors.

For both Grey and Karcz, they faced adversity in their first sets at No. 2 and No. 4 singles, but each pulled out matching 7-6 victories to move ahead. They each settled in and played better in the second, with Grey winning 6-3 and Karcz victorious by a 6-1 mark to secure a pair of points for the Green and Gold. 

Finishing up a strong day was Kelt, who rallied back after dropping the first set (6-3), to nab the next two (6-2, 6-3) and win the match against Fillippo Piranomonte. The freshman stepped up and came through when the Warriors needed it most.

Drenth fell at the No. 1 spot by matching 6-4 scores.

Spicer won his first set 6-0 at No. 3, but dropped matching 6-4 decisions in each of the next two to fall against Michael Delebois.

Finally, Kitayama made a strong push to recover after taking a 6-2 loss in the first set at No. 6, but dropped a tiebreaker 7-6 (3). 

FROM COACH MORROW
"Just a very heated match. Both teams gave a lot of effort and it was a high-energy match from both sides. Joe Kelt really came through in the end for us and I'm really proud of him. For a freshman, in that environment, to pull through the way he did - I could not be more prouder of him."

UP NEXT
Wayne State will play against Drury on Sunday afternoon (12 p.m.) at the Cooper Tennis Complex to finish the weekend trip.



 
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