Men's Tennis Nets Muskies for First Win of Season

ROCKFORD, Ill. – The men’s tennis team took to the courts late Saturday afternoon looking for its first win of the season.  Despite some of the difficulties this season the team has continued to fight and that determination would pay off in the team’s second dual meet of the day.  The Regents welcomed the Lakeland College Muskies to campus for the team’s final home dual meet of the year on Saturday.  Rockford defeated Lakeland 6-3 last year and this year’s match would turn out to be even closer.

The Regents got off to a good start by winning 2 of the 3 double matches.  The #3 doubles team of Sam Medina-Conchi (Milwaukee, Wis./Ronald Regan) and Stephen Kadamian (Rockton, Ill./Hononegah) would pick up the first point for Rockford winning their match 8-4.  It would be the #1 doubles team of Mladen Ubiparipovic (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem) and Alex Kadamian (Rockton, Ill./Hononegah) that would give the Regents a 2-1 lead heading into the singles matches with their hard fought 9-8 win. 

After going 2-1 in the doubles matches, Rockford would need to win 3 of the 6 singles matches in order to win the dual meet.  Matt Saelens (Popular Grove, Ill./Belvidere) would breeze through his singles match in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.  The win improved Saelens to 1-0 this year in singles matches.  Trey Welch (Orlando, Fla./Cypress Creek) would put the Regents within 1 win of capturing their first victory after winning his second singles match of the year 6-4, 6-7, 6-1.  Welch’s thrilling three-set victory took well over 2 hours and turned out to be a very important win.  Rockford would drop the next three singles matches making the dual meet tied 4-4 with only the #1 singles match remaining.  It would all come down to sophomore Mladen Ubiparipovic who has played in the #1 spot for every single match this year.  The sophomore would not disappoint winning in dominant fashion 6-2, 6-0.  Ubiparipovic improves to 3-5 playing in the top singles spot this season.  The 5-4 win gives the Regents their first win this year.

The men’s tennis team will hit the courts again on Thursday, April 26^th when they play Rock Valley College at Guilford High School at 4:00 p.m.