Storm come up just shy in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. - The Simpson College men's tennis team fell just short on the road at Nebraska Wesleyan, 5-4, Wednesday, at the LSF Sports Complex.

The Storm (3-10, 1-3 A-R-C) played the Prairie Wolves (3-3, 2-1 A-R-C) all the way down to the final match, but were left to rue on missed opportunities as the Prairie Wolves narrowly defended their home court.

The Prairie Wolves took the first two doubles spots in relatively comfortable fashion, but the duo of Ethan Humble and Drake Downard won a critical tiebreak at the No. 3 spot, giving the Storm some momentum heading into singles.

Downard swept his opponent aside at No. 5 singles, 6-1, 6-1, to even up the match at 2-2 overall, but Nebraska Wesleyan came back to retake the lead with a win in straight sets at the No. 1 position. The Prairie Wolves extended the lead to 4-2 with a win at the No. 4 spot.

The Storm fought back again though, as the last three singles matches being contested went to a third set. After dropping the first set at No. 3 singles, Aaron Price rebounded by winning the next two sets, 6-3 and 6-2, to bring the Storm back within one, 4-3. Freshman Javier Robles Solis followed that script, coming back from a 7-5 first set loss to win 6-2, 6-4 in the last two sets, tying the match at four.

Grant Love took the first set, 6-3, at No. 6 singles, but after his opponent forced a third set, there was a crucial break of serve in the third set that saw Love come up just shy.

Up Next

The Storm have a pair of road conference matches this weekend, taking on Loras on Saturday at 4 p.m., before traveling to Dubuque for a 10 a.m. start on Sunday.

Nebraska Wesleyan 5, Simpson 4

Doubles
1. Ryan Carey/Will Olson (NWU) def. Javier Robles Solis/Grant Love (SIM) 8-1
2. Max Rademacher/Jacob Balfany (NWU) def. Caleb Vasconez/Aaron Price (SIM) 8-4
3. Ethan Humble/Drake Downard (SIM) def. Connor Kelley/Hayden Retzlaff (NWU) 8-7 (7-5)

Singles
1. Carey (NWU) def. Vasconez (SIM) 6-3, 6-0
2. Robles Solis (SIM) def. Olson (SIM) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
3. Price (SIM) def. Rademacher (NWU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
4. Balfany (NWU) def. Humble (SIM) 6-2, 7-5
5. Downard (SIM) def. Kelley (NWU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Retzlaff (NWU) def. Love (SIM) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4