Racquet action in the midwest

By Cameron Stubbs

The Youngstown State University men’s and women’s tennis teams both hit the road as the teams competed in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Midwest Regionals Oct. 20 to Oct 22.

The men swung their racquets to Champaign, Illinois while the women took their topspin to Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Starting off in Illinois, the men began with singles matches as junior David Alvarez Moreno and sophomore Nathan Favier both claimed victories for the Penguins.

The first win of the day came in three sets as Favier defeated DePaul University junior Lars Minsaas 6-3, 2–6, 6-1.

Moreno gained the second victory of the day as he beat out Marquette University junior Ian Brady 1-6, 6-1, 6-2.

In doubles matches, the teams of sophomores Clement Mainguy and Harry Fouzas, and senior Laurentiu Mandocescu and Fouzas each brought home victories.

Mainguy and Fouzas conquered the University of Notre Dame’s senior and freshman duo of Matt Haplin and Evan Lee 8-5.

Mandocescu and Favier took down Northwestern University’s team of junior Gleb Blekher and sophomore Felix Nordby 8-7.

Up north in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the women’s team sent four members of the squad to do battle. 

Junior Jessica Stanmore and freshman Julia Marko each came away with a win in the singles matches.

Stanmore also defeated Chicago State University freshman Ethal Li in singles play, 7-5, 6-1.

Marko secured the second singles win versus Wildcat’s junior Aino Alkio 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

In the doubles matches, the only victory secured was from the team of Stanmore and freshman Lili Minich, taking on the Cougars team of Li and graduate student Kristina Pukhaeva 8-4.

A busy weekend is ahead for both tennis teams as part of the men’s team will be back on the courts Oct. 28 to Oct. 30 as they will battle at the Viking Invitational hosted by Cleveland State University.

The other half of the team will travel to Ithaca, New York to participate in the International Tennis Federal Future M15 on Oct. 29 and Oct. 30.

The women will swing over to the Indoor Toledo Rocket Invite hosted by The University of Toledo on Oct. 28 and Oct. 29.

Stay up to date on all the singles and doubles matches on ysusports.com.