Box Score

Cedar Rapids, IA – The Prairie Fire were unable to threaten a long home court winning streak by perennial power Coe College.

A shorthanded Knox team lost 9-0 on Sunday to the Kohawks, who entered the match ranked #7 in their region and won for the 21st consecutive time at the Clark Racquet Center.

The Prairie Fire (1-3) were without the full services of junior Karl Ruzgas (Downers Grove, IL, Downers Grove North) and sophomore Dustin Loch (Glen Ellyn, IL, Glenbard West).  Ruzgas, the regular starter at #2 singles and half of the #1 doubles team for Knox, only played doubles against Coe.  Loch, who began the season playing #6 singles and #3 doubles, has missed the last three matches because of illness.

The Kohawks (5-0) opened with a sweep in doubles play.

Coe's #1 doubles team defeated their counterparts from Knox, Ruzgas and junior Walter Palmer (Wilmette, IL, New Trier), 8-5.  Junior Jonathan Ng (Hong Kong, China, Hong Kong International School) and senior Max Gatyas (Plymouth, WI, Plymouth Comprehensive) fell in #2 doubles 8-3 while sophomore Pragyaditya Mukerjee (Kolkata, India, The Cambridge School) and first-year Rohail Khan (Islamabad, Pakistan, Roots School System) lost 8-1 in their #3 doubles match.

The Kohawks completed the match sweep by taking all six of the singles matches.

The Prairie Fire play their next five matches at home at Lakeside Tennis Center.

Knox welcomes Ripon College and the University of Dubuque for non-conference contests on February 22.  The Prairie Fire and Ripon are scheduled to play at 9:00 a.m.  The match against Dubuque is slated for a 3:00 p.m. start.