McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's tennis team is set to continue its season with two matches at Principia College on Saturday, March 22. The Titans, holding a record of 3-6, will compete against Monmouth College before facing the Panthers, who have a 5-3 record.

The team returns from Gulf Shores, Alabama, where they went 1-2 during their spring break trip. Juniors Ian Turnbull and Ben Vigneri showed strong performances in the first contest against St. Thomas (Texas), securing a win at No. 1 doubles with a score of 6-2. Despite their efforts, the remaining flights favored St. Thomas.

In their second matchup against Belhaven University, Illinois Wesleyan was swept in doubles play but responded strongly in singles matches by winning five out of six spots for a 5-2 victory. Junior Sebastian Rasquin achieved his first collegiate win at No. 6 singles.

The final match in Gulf Shores resulted in a narrow defeat against UW-Superior with a score of 4-3. Turnbull and Vigneri again captured the lone doubles win for the Titans while Vigneri continued his success in singles play at No. 2 singles. Fifth-year Ryan McCoy won at No. 3 singles and sophomore Thad Dillow secured victory at No. 4 individuals after some extra effort.

Illinois Wesleyan will face Monmouth for the ninth time in program history; they have won all previous encounters against the Scots, including a decisive 9-0 victory on February 17, 2024. The day will conclude with a match against Principia College, marking their seventh meeting; the Titans last won this matchup narrowly with a score of 5-4 on February 17, 2024.