COLUMBUS, Ohio -- After a promising fall campaign that saw the team finish with a 2-1 record, the Capital University men's tennis team is ready to have another go at it this spring.
The team has a full schedule of games filled, that will surely test coach
Cody Hurley's youthful squad.
During the fall season, the lineup featured the same six in singles action –
Leonardo Abreu,
Aaron Askew,
Jesse Stevens,
Alex Stout,
Spencer Surles, and
Colin Welch. Of the six, Askew is the lone sophomore; the other five are all freshmen.
In doubles action coach Hurley put forth four different teams in the fall matches – Abreu & Stout, Surles & Welch, Askew & Stevens, and
Allan Huang and
Jack Schwarz.
In team matches against other opponents, the six competitors in singles combined for a 14-4 record this fall, led largely by 3-0 records from both
Leonardo Abreu and
Alex Stout.
Colin Welch and
Spencer Surles each put together 2-1 marks, while
Aaron Askew and
Jesse Stevens managed 1-1 records.
In doubles action, Capital's pairings fared even better, combining for an 8-1 record. Once again, Abreu and Stout paired up to finish the fall 3-0. Surles and Welch were 2-0 and
Allan Huang and
Jack Schwarz were 1-0. Askew and Stevens finished up 1-1.
In addition to their team competition, three Comets traveled to Kalamazoo College for the ITA Regionals this past fall. There, Abreu, Welch, and Surles each competed.
Welch and Abreu paired up in doubles action to go 1-2 overall, losing to Ohio Northern and Hope, while defeating a difficult Rose Hulman duo.
In singles action, Abreu and Surles were in line to compete. Unfortunately for Surles, his event ended after two matches with consecutive losses, while Abreu stormed ahead into the consolation quarterfinals. Abreu lost his first match, but then responded with two straight wins to advance to the quarterfinals. There, he was defeated in a tough match against Arthur Hermanage from Augustana.
All-in-all the team showed positive results all fall, and showed they are primed for a high quality spring season.
Looking at the schedule, coach Hurley certainly gave the team opportunities to compete by scheduling 19 matches this spring. The team will get things going with two matches at Wabash College vs. the hosts and vs. Manchester College. Those matches are slated for February 19th.
The team will then return to Ohio for a pair of non-conference bouts with Ohio Wesleyan and Franciscan (both on the road). Those matches will serve as the final test for the team before they travel to Hilton Head Island over spring break for four matches. There, the team will play Albion, Roanoke, Lebanon Valley, and Penn State Behrend from March 8th to March 10th.
After their spring trip, the team will once again return to Ohio to finish out their season with a conference-heavy schedule. The team will first play Lourdes before competing against Mount Union, John Carroll, and Ohio Northern in consecutive matches.
The Comets will then face two difficult tests on April 9th as the team will face high-powered Denison and Otterbein on the same day. That will then lead into a stretch of three non-conference matches before the team will finish their OAC slate with matches against Marietta and Baldwin Wallace.
