By Beth Renkoski

02/14/09

No. 6 Lions Open GSAC With Win Over Hope

Costa Mesa, Calif – Costa Mesa Tennis Center - Vanguard University’s men’s tennis team began the 2009 Golden State Athletic Conference schedule with a victory over Hope International University. Frustrated yesterday with a match suspended after a three-hour rain delay, the Lions were excited to play on their home courts finally. A clear but chilly and breezy day provided the opportunity for Vanguard to defeat the Royals 7-2 to begin conference play 1-0.

Vanguard won two of the three doubles matches, registering an 8-1 win at number two and an 8-6 win at number three. HIU captured the top doubles point by the score of 8-2.

Taking a 2-1 lead into singles, the Lions needed wins in just half of the six singles matches to seal the team victory. However, Vanguard lost only once in singles play with HIU’s only point coming in the top singles match, 6-2, 6-3, as Rajko Mladenovic defeated Fredric Sandberg.

The Lions registered straight set victories in all of the rest of the singles matches to win the match 7-2. Florian Lemke (7-6, 6-2) notched a win at number two, followed by Tino Brodar (6-2, 6-4) at number three, and newcomer Sandro Bucher (6-2, 6-0) at number four. Senior Thomas Frank dropped his number five opponent by identical 6-3 scores, and freshman Nils Iwdal out-lasted Joey Nedelisky 7-6, 7-5 in a three-hour match.

It was a solid GSAC opening win and improves VU’s record to 2-0 overall. The Lions, still awaiting a makeup dated for the suspended nonconference match at University of Redlands, is scheduled to travel to Point Loma this coming Tuesday for their next GSAC match.

Today’s GSAC Match Scores:

No. 6 Vanguard vs. Hope International

Doubles
1. Sandberg/Brodar vs. Mladenovic /Weich HIU 8-2
2. Frank/Bucher vs. Bunescu/Nedelisky VU 8-1
3. Lemke/Iwdal vs. Thrien/Tinodi VU 8-6
Singles
1. Fredric Sandberg vs. Rajko Mladenovic HIU 6-2, 6-3
2. Florian Lemke vs. Henning Thrien VU 7-6, 6-2
3. Tino Brodar vs. Sebastian Brunescu VU 6-2, 6-4
4. Sandro Bucher vs. Johan Weich VU 6-2, 6-0
5. Thomas Frank vs. Dominic Tinodi VU 6-3, 6-3
6. Nils Iwdal vs. Joey Nedelisky VU 7-6, 7-5

Final score: VU 7 HIU 2
Season record 2-0 (1-0)