WACONIA/NEW ULM, Minn. – The 2024-25 season has had its share of difficulties for the Yellowjacket men's tennis team. That, however, is seemingly by design.

The Yellowjackets, who have hung championship banners in each of last three seasons, have played the most rigorous schedule in program history, one that has seen them play some of the top teams in the nation this season. The stiff competition should put the Yellowjackets in a position to get on a roll once they enter Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) play.

That day was Saturday, as the Yellowjackets opened up UMAC competition with a pair of matches on the road, and they'll come home with a pair of wins to get the conference slate started on the right foot.
 
The Yellowjackets rolled to a 7-0 win over Crown to open the day, then finished things off with a 7-0 win over Martin Luther. The wins improve the Yellowjackets to 6-13 overall and put them atop the UMAC with a 2-0 mark.
 
Several Yellowjackets had big days Saturday, led by Igor Guetten Chaves (Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil/Colégio Adventista). The Yellowjacket junior won both of his singles matches in straight sets Saturday, and also picked up a pair of wins in doubles play, teaming with Mateo Abarca Pino (Riobamba, Ecuador/El Despertar) against Crown and Vitor Sakakibara (São Paulo, Brazil/Colégio Saber) against Martin Luther.
 
Crown Notes

• The Yellowjackets swept the doubles matches, with Marcos Labella Parrilla (Malaga, Spain/IES Emilio Prados) and Caden Chesla (Isanti, Minn./Homeschool) rolling to a 6-0 win at No. 3 doubles.
• Brandon Chu (Rogers, Minn./Rogers) and Blake Haugen (Fairmont, Minn./Fairmont) won 6-3 at No. 2 doubles to improve to 4-6 as a pair for the year.
• Guetten Chaves and Abarca Pino took the win at No. 1 doubles, 6-2.
• In singles action, the Yellowjackets took five of the six matches in straight sets.
• Chu and Haugen won their singles matches in perfect fashion, winning 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 and No. 5 singles, respectively.
• Guetten Chaves won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 1 singles.
• Abarca Pino won the match that clinched the victory for the Yellowjackets, winning 6-3, 6-1 at No. 2 singles.
• Chesla her his first collegiate singles win in his first start Saturday, rolling to a 6-0, 6-2 victory at No. 6 singles.
• The only singles match that needed extra time was the No. 4 slot. There, Labella Parrilla took the first set 6-1 before dropping the second 6-7 (5-7). He took the match tiebreaker 10-6 to earn the third set win, 1-0.

Martin Luther Notes

• The Yellowjackets grabbed the doubles point quickly against the Knights. Guetten Chaves and Sakakibara won 6-0 at No. 1 doubles, while Chu and Haugen did the same at No. 3 doubles.
• Abarca Pino and Sharan Kanugovi (Bangalore, Karnataka/New Baldwin International School) won 6-1 at No. 2 doubles.
• In singles play the Yellowjackets rolled to straight set wins at all six positions.
• Chu won 6-0, 6-0 for the second time on the day, winning at No. 4 singles. He's now 8-9 in singles play after starting the season 1-6.
• At No. 3, Abarca Pino rolled to a 6-1, 6-0 win.
• Kanugovi and Haugen won 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 and No. 5 singles, respectively.
• Guetten Chaves took the win at No. 1 singles, rolling 6-1, 6-0. He has won four of his last five singles matches.
• In the closest match, Labella Parrilla won at No. 6 singles, 6-3, 6-4.

The Yellowjackets will be home for the first time in 2025 and continue their UMAC schedule when they host Northwestern at the Yellowjacket Outdoor Tennis Complex. The first serve is set for 11 a.m.
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