Men's tennis opens spring season with losses

CLINTON - The Simpson men's tennis team opened the 2011 spring season last weekend, dropping tough road matches to St. Ambrose and Ashford.

The Storm (0-2) faced St. Ambrose on Friday in Moline, Ill, losing 8-1. Ashford earned a 7-2 win Saturday in Clinton.

Adam Summitt led Simpson, going 2-0 at No. 2 singles. Against St. Ambrose, Summitt defeated Mike Hartz in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5. He needed all three sets to beat Ashford's Nate Lambert, taking a 6-3, 4-6, 10-4 win.

Noah Saunders went 1-1 on the weekend, earning Simpson's second point against Ashford with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Luis Castillo at No. 3 singles.

Simpson came within a game of picking up a point at No. 1 doubles against Ashford, as Alexander Hook and Summitt lost 9-8 after falling 10-8 in the tie-breaker.

Simpson returns to action in two weeks when they open the Iowa Conference schedule against Luther on Feb. 19 in Decorah. The Storm also have a non-conference match against UW-La Crosse on the same day.