Arriving at the end of its inaugural season, the Hillsdale College men’s tennis team fell 8-1 at Findlay University. The Chargers finished out the year with a 6-11 record overall and a 1-8 record in the GLIAC.
The lone Charger win in the match came from freshman Justin Hyman at No. 1 singles. Hyman dropped the first set 4-6, but won the second set 6-3 before taking the tiebreaker.
At No. 2 doubles, freshmen John Ciraci and Zach Rabitoy dropped a tight 9-7 match.
“The coaches of other teams have consistently told us how impressed they are that we’re this good as a first-year team,” head coach Keith Turner said.
Sophomore Dugan Delp noted, similar to what Turner has been noting, that although the team needs work in doubles, the team altogether has risen to the challenge, and has done quite well in doubles, and now needs to improve in singles as well.
“The team has come together pretty well over the year,” Turner said. “It was rough, originally. We had seven players and now we’re down to six. We were throwing in new players and seeing how they’d get along. They get along with each other. It could have been way worse — you’ll never know what’s going to happen. There will be a new influx of players with four more guys next year.”
With the season over, Delp said it’s with great thanks to strength and conditioning coach Pat Gifford that the team seems to be doing very well playing in the warmer months. Delp said this will hopefully continue to ring true as the team starts training for next year with the premier year’s experience under their belt.