La Crosse, Wis. – Nobody can say the Yellowjacket men's tennis team doesn't like a challenge. Since opening the fall portion of their schedule, the Yellowjackets have competed in the ITA Midwest Regional, followed by a dual match against a tough Carleton College opponent.
 
The rugged non-conference schedule continued Saturday, as the Yellowjackets took on a pair of Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) foes, UW-Stevens Point and UW-La Crosse.
 
And has been the case in recent years, the Yellowjackets had another good day against strong competition, splitting matches at Green Island Tennis Courts. The Yellowjackets topped the Pointers 4-3 to open the day, before falling to UW-La Crosse by the same 4-3 score.
 
The Yellowjackets are now 1-2 on the 2024-25 season.
 
Against the Pointers, the Yellowjackets lost the lone doubles point before taking care of business in singles play. UWS won matches at Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 6 on the way to the victory. Sharan Kanugovi (Bangalore, Karnataka/New Baldwin International School), Yash Chhabra (Jaipur, Rajasthan/Sanskar School) and Mateo Abarca Pino (Riobamba, Ecuador/El Despertar) all earned victories in straight sets against the Pointers.
 
Match Notes

• Chhabra and Kanugovi earned a 6-4 win at No. 1 doubles, but the Pointers got wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles to take the single point.
• Kanugovi defeated the Pointers' Steven Benoy at No. 1 singles, 6-3, 6-3.
• At No. 2 singles, Chhabra rolled over Dawson Froemming, also by scores of 6-3, 6-3.
• Abarca Pino defeated Malcom Rice of Stevens Point 6-2, 6-4.
• Brandon Chu (Rogers, Minn./Rogers), playing at No. 6 singles, needed a tiebreaker, but earned the hard-fought win. After winning the first set 7-5, Chu fell 4-6 in the second set. He won the tiebreaker 10-7 to win the third set 1-0 over Anthony Janes.

The hosts from UW-La Crosse hosted the Yellowjackets in the second match, and it was another great battle between two evenly matched teams. The Eagles took two of the three doubles matches to earn the first point of the day. In singles play, the Yellowjackets got wins at Nos. 1, 3 and 5 singles, but it wasn't enough earn the second win of the day.
 
Match Notes

• Abarca Pino and Jacob Zacharias (Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) were the victorious team in doubles for the Yellowjackets, defeating La Crosse's Luke Hinchcliffe and Brady Horstmann 6-4.
• Igor Guetten Chaves (Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil/Colégio Adventista) picked up a straight sets win at No. 1 singles, defeating Hinchcliffe in quick fashion, 6-1 and 6-3.
• Chhabra picked up his second singles victory of the day at No. 3 singles, defeating Horstmann in three sets. Chhabra dropped the first set 2-6 before taking the second 6-1. Chhabra outlasted Horstmann 10-7 in the tiebreaker to win the third set.
• Zacharias also needed a tiebreaking third set to get his win. At No. 5 singles, Zacharias defeated Alex Aranda of the Eagles 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8).
• Abarca Pino won the opening set of his match at No. 4 singles, besting Nikko Vilwock 7-6. Vilwock rallied to take the second set 6-2 before winning the tiebreaker 10-3 to win the third set.

The Yellowjackets are back in action Sunday morning, where they will have the unique experience of playing on grass courts. The 'Jackets will take on Ripon at the Sand Valley Grass Courts in Nekoosa, Wis. The first serve is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
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