Lawrence box score
Wartburg box score

Galesburg, Ill.  – The Prairie Fire split a pair of close matches against Lawrence University and Wartburg College on Saturday at Lakeside Tennis Center.

Knox fell to Lawrence 5-4 in a match that saw both teams come from behind to grab the lead and was ultimately decided by a three-set #6 singles contest.  The Prairie Fire responded strong against Wartburg and won a 5-4 nail biter, the third straight match for Knox that's been decided by one point.

Juniors Walter Palmer (Wilmette, IL, New Trier) and Karl Ruzgas (Downers Grove, IL, Downers Grove North) downed Lawrence's #1 doubles team of Brian DeCorte and Jeremy Andereck 8-1.  The Vikings, however, took the #2 (8-4) and #3 (8-6) doubles matches for a 2-1 advantage going into singles play.  The #3 doubles setback was the first this season for Knox sophomores Pragyaditya Mukerjee (Kolkata, India, The Cambridge School) and Dustin Loch (Glen Ellyn, IL, Glenbard West), who began the day 3-0.

The momentum, and the lead, shifted to the Prairie Fire with three wins in the first four singles matches against the Vikings.

Palmer defeated LU's DeCorte 6-2, 6-2 in #1 singles.  In #2 singles, Ruzgas lost to David Jumes in three sets: 6-1, 1-6, 1-6.  Knox posted back-to-back wins in #3 and #4 singles.  Junior Jonathan Ng (Hong Kong, China, Hong Kong International School) beat Andereck 6-3, 6-2 and senior Max Gatyas (Plymouth, WI, Plymouth Comprehensive) followed with a 6-1, 6-3 triumph over Adam Busch.

Lawrence (2-3) answered with a victory in #5 singles (6-2, 6-0), setting up the tiebreaking #6 singles match that couldn't have been much closer.

Loch and his opponent, Ethan Perushek, played through two tiebreakers before the hotly contested match was decided.  Loch won the first set 7-6 (7-3) before Perushek forced a third set with a 7-6 (7-4) victory.  Perushek defeated Loch 6-4 in the last set to push Lawrence over the top and snap a string of two straight wins by Knox.

The Prairie Fire rebounded nicely against Wartburg, opening with wins in two of the three doubles matches.

Palmer and Ruzgas posted a convincing 8-1 victory against their #1 doubles counterparts Dayton Stevens and Koo Miake.  "Karl and Walter played lights out in doubles today," Knox coach Miriam Skrade said.  "It's fun when everything is clicking. In between points they let out a cheer for a neighboring Knox team."

Ng and Gatyas accounted for the second Prairie Fire doubles win by topping Luke Benna and Brandon Hornback 8-4 in #2 doubles.

Palmer swept the day with a 6-2, 6-1 victory against Miake in #1 singles.  "Things really came together for Walter today," Skrade said.  "The score was 1-2 in his first singles set against Lawrence.  He had 10 deuce points before he was able to string two points together and take the game. From there he won eight straight games."

The Knights (2-5) inched closer with a #2 singles win (6-4, 6-1).  Ng earned his team-leading sixth singles victory by defeating Hornback 6-4, 6-3 in the #3 slot, leaving the Prairie Fire with one more win to get to take the match.

Skrade said Ng continues to be a force for the team.  "His serve, quick reactions, and tenacity make his matches thrilling to watch."

Gatyas ensured a Knox victory with a hard fought 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 decision against Andre Greene, the Prairie Fire senior's fourth straight win.

Skrade said the team's fitness was really tested.  "Not only did everyone play four matches, but the three third set matches were over 90 minutes long. I'm grateful to Knox men's soccer for preparing Max's legs for a victory at the end of a long day!"
 
Gatyas was a co-captain and standout player for the men's soccer team that advanced to the Midwest Conference Tournament for the first time in school history.
 
"I think I'm going to have to get used to these close matches," Skrade added.  "We battle to the end."
 
The Prairie Fire (4-4) host Illinois Wesleyan University on Tuesday, March 4 in a non-conference match at Lakeside that begins at 4:00 p.m.  IWU opened the spring season with an 8-1 victory on Saturday at St. Ambrose University.

The match against the Titans is the last for Knox until after spring break.  The Prairie Fire head to Orlando, Fla. to play five matches between March 18 and 20.  The team's first opponent is Colorado College on the 18th.