Huskers Battle, But Fall Short to No. 2 Bears

Lincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska men’s tennis team (1-1, 0-0 Big Ten) dropped its first match of the season to the No. 2 Baylor Bears (2-0, 0-0 Big 12), losing 6-1 at the Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center Thursday night.

The match began with doubles play. In the No. 1 spot, Dario Huber and Victor Moreno Lozano dropped their match to the No. 18 team in the nation Sven Lah and Finn Bass, 6-1. The Huskers secured a win in the No. 3 position as Rudra Dixit and Shunya Maruyama bested Adrian Boitan and Cole Gromley, 6-4, to tie the doubles match at one. The deciding match went to Baylor as Juan Pablo Grassi Mazzuchi and Matias Soto defeated William Gleason and Nic Wiedenhorn, 6-4, to take the doubles point.

In singles action, Roni Hietaranta took home the lone point for the Huskers in the No. 6 spot. Hietaranta remains unbeaten after a win over Gromley, 6-1, 6-3, in the final spot to improve to 2-0 in singles play.  Gleason narrolwy lost to Boitan in the top spot in a thrilling three-set match. He won the first set 6-4, but lost the second set 3-6. The third set went the distance, but Boitan prevailed with a 7-6 (8) victory. The Lincoln, Neb., native had three match points in the third-set tiebreaker, but ultimately dropped the final set in the best match of the night.

Huber won the first set against Soto, 6-3, dropped the second, 4-6, and forced a tiebreaker in lue of the third set. He battled, but eventually fell short. Wiedenhorn, Maruyama, and Calvin Mueller all lost in two sets in the No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5 positions respectively.

Up next, the Huskers will go on the road to take on No. 24 Oklahoma this Saturday, Jan. 23 at 1 p.m at the Headington Family Tennis Center.

Saturday, Jan. 20 Results

Baylor 6, Nebraska 1

Singles Competition:

1. Adrian Boitan (BU) def. William Gleason (NEB) 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8)

2. Matias Soto (BU) def. Dario Huber (NEB) 6-3, 4-6, (10-4)

3. Sven Lah (BU) def. Nic Wiedenhorn (NEB) 6-3, 6-2

4. Finn Bass (BU) def. Shunya Maruyama (NEB) 6-4, 6-1

5. Juan Pablo Grassi Mazzuchi (BU) def. Calvin Mueller (NEB) 6-2, 6-1

6. Roni Hietaranta (NEB) def. Cole Gromley (BU) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles Competition:

1. No. 18 Sven Lah/Finn Bass (BU) def. Dario Huber/Victor Moreno Lozano (NEB) 6-1

2. Juan Pablo Grassi Mazzuchi/Matias Soto (BU) def. William Gleason/Nic Wiedenhorn 6-4

3. Rudra Dixit/Shunya Maruyama (NEB) def. Adrian Boitan/Cole Gromley (BU) 6-4

Match Notes:

Baylor (2-0)

Nebraska (1-1)

Order of Finish: Doubles (1, 3, 2); Singles (5, 6, 4, 3, 2,1)