2015 Men's Tennis Spring Break Matches
March 17-21 Kissimmee and Bradenton, FL

MATCH #4 vs. Hope College (3/20/15)   Box Score
Hope defeated the Prairie Fire 8-1 at Oak Street Park in Kissimmee.

Senior Walter Palmer (Wilmette, IL, New Trier) and first-year Ashwin Kushwaha (Rochester, MN, Mayo) teamed up for an 8-6 victory at #1 doubles against Mathew Culver and Sam Kreps to avoid a sweep by the Flying Dutchmen.  Kushwaha also had a competitive #3 singles match against Culver, who came away with a 6-3, 6-1 win.

Knox moves on to play Nichols College on Saturday at 10:00 am (ET) at IMG Academy in Bradenton.


MATCH #3 vs. Bethel University (3/19/15)   Box Score
The Prairie Fire lost to Bethel 9-0 at Oak Street Park in Kissimmee.  Seniors Walter Palmer (Wilmette, IL, New Trier) and Karl Ruzgas (Downers Grove, IL, Downers Grove North) dropped a close 8-6 decision in their #1 doubles match against Brett Lizotte and Jakob Bartels of Bethel.  Knox meets Hope College on Friday at 10:00 am (ET) at Oak Street Park.


MATCH #2 vs. Springfield College (3/18/15)   Box Score
Springfield College defeated the Prairie Fire 9-0 at Oak Street Park in Kissimmee.

Senior Walter Palmer (Wilmette, IL, New Trier) got off to a good start in his #1 singles match against Tanner DeVarennes, taking the first set 6-4.  But DeVarennes locked up the second set by the same score and prevailed 10-4 in the deciding third set to earn the win.

Palmer and senior Karl Ruzgas (Downers Grove, IL, Downers Grove North) fell 8-4 in #1 doubles against the Pride's DeVarennes and Justin Danielewicz.  It's only the third doubles loss of the season for Palmer and Ruzgas.

The #2 doubles team of sophomore Rohail Khan (Islamabad, Pakistan, Roots School System) and first-year Ashwin Kushwaha (Rochester, MN, Mayo) also put up a fight in an 8-4 loss to Kyle Beynor and Josh Robinson.

Knox returns to the court on Wednesday against Bethel University at 11:30 am (ET).


MATCH #1 vs. Western New England University (3/17/15)   Box Score
The Prairie Fire began their spring break trip with an 8-1 loss to Western New England at Oak Street Park in Kissimmee.

Seniors Walter Palmer (Wilmette, IL, New Trier) and Karl Ruzgas (Downers Grove, IL, Downers Grove North) rolled to an 8-2 victory for Knox at #1 doubles against Andres Otero and Alexander Sause.

Ruzgas and Otero squared off again in #2 singles play.  Ruzgas, who dropped the first set (4-6), pulled even with a 6-2 win in the second.  However, he was unable to complete the comeback bid as Ortero prevailed in the match by taking the third set (10-5).

First-year Ashwin Kushwaha (Rochester, MN, Mayo) forced a tiebreaker in the first set of his #3 singles match won by Western New England's Chris Spear 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.

The Prairie Fire next play Springfield College at 11:30 am (ET) at Oak Street Park.