SHERMAN, Texas – The LeTourneau men's tennis team saw its four-match winning streak snapped after a pair of losses to University of the Southwest (N.M.) and Whitworth this weekend.
At Austin College, the YellowJackets dropped both matches by scores of 7-2.
Saturday's dual match pitted the Jackets against Southwest, an NAIA program located in Hobbs, N.M. that competes in the Red River Athletic Conference. The Mustangs, who completed a perfect fall season, won five out of six singles matches, all in two sets.
The lone Jackets victory in singles competition went to Uli De La Fuente (El Paso, Texas/Coronado), who breezed past Teddy Yelley by scores of 6-0, 6-0 in flight two.
Flight one singles competition saw Carlos Cantu (Brownsville, Texas/Hanna) fall in straight sets to Czech Republic national Marek Ondruj by scores of 6-3, 6-0.
In doubles competition, Cantu teamed with Ben Albers (Burkburnett, Texas/Burkburnett) to claim a narrow 8-6 win over Yelley and Adam Faul in the flight one match.
The Jackets were back on the court late Sunday morning, this time against Whitworth University, ranked No. 15 in the NCAA Division III West Region by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Cantu and Albers picked up the win in No. 1 doubles by a score of 8-2 over Colin Zalewski and Joe Wales. The LeTourneau pair won their fifth consecutive doubles match with that triumph.
In flight three doubles, LeTourneau freshmen Michael Vandegrifft (Allen, Texas/Allen) and Kyle Lippe (Allen, Texas/Allen) defeated Brian Lays and John Talbot by a score of 8-5.
Whitworth, located in Spokane, Wash. won all six singles matches at the neutral courts. The wins included a hard-fought, competitive match in No. 1 singles, which saw Daniel Redfern edge Cantu by scores of 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 6-4.
In flight five, Albers defeated Collin Barrett 6-3 in the first set, but then dropped the next two by scores of 6-3 and 6-1.
The Jackets play their first home match of the season Friday when they host Louisiana College in an American Southwest Conference East Division match. Match time is scheduled for 5 p.m.
The YellowJackets defeated Louisiana College 9-0 earlier this season in Shreveport, La.
Southwest (N.M.) 7, LeTourneau 2
Mar 19, 2011 at Sherman, Texas
Singles competition
1. Marek Ondruj (USW) def. Carlos Cantu (LETU) 6-3, 6-0
2. Ulrich DelaFuente (LETU) def. Teddy Yelley (USW) 6-0, 6-0
3. Adam Faul (USW) def. Josh Bailey (LETU) 6-0, 6-2
4. Josh Baker (USW) def. Josh Millet (LETU) 6-1, 6-1
5. Richard Southern (USW) def. Ben Albers (LETU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Anthony Nguyen (USW) def. Kyle Lippe (LETU) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Carlos Cantu/Ben Albers (LETU) def. Teddy Yelley/Adam Faul (USW) 8-6
2. Josh Baker/Marek Ondruj (USW) def. Ulrich DelaFuente/Josh Bailey (LETU) 8-4
3. Anthony Nguyen/Richard Southern (USW) def. Michael Vandegrifft/Kyle Lippe (LETU) 8-3
#15 Whitworth 7, LeTourneau 2
Mar 20, 2011 at Sherman, Texas
Singles competition
1. Daniel Redfern (WHTW) def. Carlos Cantu (LETU) 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 6-4
2. Colin Zalewski (WHTW) def. Ulrich DelaFuente (LETU) 6-1, 6-2
3. Joe Wales (WHTW) def. Josh Bailey (LETU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Cameron Williams (WHTW) def. Josh Millet (LETU) 7-5, 6-0
5. Colin Barrett (WHTW) def. Ben Albers (LETU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
6. Henry Williams (WHTW) def. Kyle Lippe (LETU) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Carlos Cantu/Ben Albers (LETU) def. Colin Zalewski/Joe Wales (WHTW) 8-2
2. Daniel Redfern/Colin Barrett (WHTW) def. Ulrich DelaFuente/Josh Bailey (LETU) 8-0
3. Michael Vandegrifft/Kyle Lippe (LETU) def. Brian Lays/John Talbot (WHTW) 8-5
