Mike Ellis
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Sophomore Zach Ervin had a perfect afternoon, as Butler defeated Toledo 4-3 at the UT Varsity Tennis Courts Saturday.
Ervin defeated the Rockets’ Gursher Harika, 6-1, 6-4, in the No. 6 singles match. Ervin teamed with junior Chris Herron for an 8-5 victory at No. 3 doubles.
Ervin said he had a solid game plan for singles but battled to close the match in two sets.
“I was up 6-1, 5-1, and [Harika] reeled off three straight games,” Ervin said. “He started playing better, so I was relieved to serve the match out at 5-4.”
Ervin credited Herron for much of their doubles success.
“If Chris has his big serve and return working well, we’re usually in pretty good shape,” Ervin said.
Juniors Brandon Bayliss and Lenz Theodor also had good afternoons in singles. Bayliss beat Toledo’s Leo Sarria 6-3, 6-3, at No. 4 singles, while Theodor defeated Bryant Dudzik 6-1, 6-2, in the No. 5 singles match.
Senior Ben Raynauld and junior Bryce Warren outlasted the Rocket duo of Aleksandar Elezovic and Nutthavit Likitkumchorn in No. 1 doubles, 9-7. This secured the doubles point, which ultimately was the difference in the team match.
Raynauld confirmed that the doubles point was essential.
“[The doubles] point was really crucial because we knew that the top three in their lineup was really good, but their bottom three was kind of weak,” he said.
The Bulldogs had a more difficult time against Western Michigan Sunday afternoon. They fell 7-0 at the West Hills Athletic Club in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Raynauld and Warren continued strong play in No. 1 doubles, beating WMU’s Michael Calderon and Zeyad Montasser, 8-6.
“Overall, I think that our doubles play has been key so far this season,” Raynauld said. “We have been making the right decisions and improving daily on that aspect of the game.”
That was the only Bulldog victory of the day. Theodor and sophomore Stephen McLoughlin lost 8-4 at No. 2 doubles, while Herron and Ervin fell in a tiebreaker at the No. 3 spot, 9-8 (7-5).
After winning the doubles point, the Broncos continued their dominant play in singles and dropped one set in six matches.
Raynauld captured the Bulldogs’ lone set at No. 2 singles and came close to posting a lone point. After dropping the first set 6-2 to Calderone, the Butler senior bounced back to take the second set in a tiebreaker, 9-7.
Calderone responded by taking the 10-point tiebreaker, 10-8, for both the match and team point.
Warren had a set point at No. 3 singles but was unable to convert on it. He subsequently fell, 7-5, 6-2, to Pablo Olivarez.
With the loss, the Bulldogs fell to 1-1 on the weekend and 3-6 overall, while Western Michigan improved to 9-4.
“WMU has been a mid-major powerhouse in the Midwest for a while now and they showed why on Sunday,” Raynauld said.
Butler will travel to East Lansing, Mich., to face Michigan State Saturday. During Spring Break, the men’s tennis team will also compete at Nicholls State in Thibodaux, La., March 10.
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