Men of steel rackets; this is what the Lewis Flyers men’s tennis team should be called after finishing the season with an overall 15-5 record. The men’s tennis team seemed to be in a questionable position early in the season. In their first nine matches of the season they went 5-4.
After their opening nine-match stretch, they picked up their game drastically by winning 10 of their next 11 matches. And that one loss came after a six match-winning streak. They were defeated by Southern Indiana 8-1. Whatever struggles the team had in the beginning of the season they overcame with a strong vengeance, outscoring their opponents 72-16 in their last ten wins of the season.
Now that the regular season is over, the men’s red-hot tennis team has to make sure they can keep up this fired up hot streak. They are now entering the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship’s against No. 3 ranked West Missouri-St. Louis. They are scheduled to play UMSL on Friday, Apr. 23. It is the team’s second straight trip to the postseason.
The Flyers are probably feeling especially confident with star tennis athlete Uno Lapimaa. Lapimaa is on a 22-match winning streak, and has an overall record of 28-1. Tonis Irdoja is another player on the team who the Flyers seem to be able to rely on helping put a ‘W’ in their column. Irdoja is 8-2 in his last 10 and has a strong overall record of 20-8. In the GLVC, Lapimaa has a perfect 7-0 record, while Irdoja is 5-2.
In doubles competition, Irdoja and Lapimaa also sit on top with the best records on the team. Their record as doubles partners is 12-4, but is also 9-1 in their last 10.
They have more wins in doubles competition than any other pairs on the team, but aren’t the only strong duo on the team. Lapimaa and Lorenz Pestinger have an overall doubles record of 10-3, and are also 7-3 in their last 10 matches.
While the statistics show that our Lewis men’s tennis team is capable of capturing a GLVC Championship, everyone should wish these competitive and talented athletes the best of luck on their upcoming event.
Anthony Weihofen, Staff Reporter
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