Jacob Larson (Jr.-Wauwatosa, Wis.) and Alessandro Bianchi (So.-Venice, Italy) picked up singles wins to lead the Lakeland University men's tennis team in a season-opening loss to Ripon College in a non-conference dual Saturday morning.

The Red Hawks posted a 7-2 win in the dual, winning four of six matches in singles play and all three doubles matches.

Larson recorded a hard-earned win at No. 2 singles, defeating Ripon's Preston Wurtz 7-5, 7-6 (3-0). Bianchi also added a win at No. 6 singles, taking down Jonah Roeper in straight sets 6-0, 6-4.

Lakeland nearly earned a third win at No. 3 singles, where freshman Sterling Reilly (Medford, Wis.) went to three sets before falling to Daniel Garcia 2-6, 6-3, 10-5. The Muskies' closest result in doubles play came from the No. 3 team of Bianchi and Evan Vorpahl (Fr.-Sheboygan, Wis.), who were defeated by Roeper and Vince Ireland 8-4.

Lakeland next will face Illinois Institute of Technology in its Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference season opener April 7 in Chicago.

Ripon College 7, Lakeland University 2
03/20/21 at Ripon, Wis. (Willmore Center)

Singles competition

1. Drew Jorgensen (RIPONMT) def. Larson, Nick (LUMT) 6-1, 6-2

2. Larson, Jacob (LUMT) def. Preston Wurtz (RIPONMT) 7-5, 7-6 (3-0)

3. Daniel Garcia (RIPONMT) def. Reilly, Sterling (LUMT) 2-6, 6-3, 10-5

4. Vince Ireland (RIPONMT) def. Vorpahl, Evan (LUMT) 6-0, 6-1

5. Eugene Pliska (RIPONMT) def. Bredlow, Eric (LUMT) 6-1, 6-1

6. Bianchi, Alessandro (LUMT) def. Jonah Roeper (RIPONMT) 6-0, 6-4

Doubles competition

1. Drew Jorgensen/Preston Wurtz (RIPONMT) def. Larson, Nick/Larson, Jacob (LUMT) 8-3

2. Daniel Garcia/Eugene Pliska (RIPONMT) def. Reilly, Sterling/Bredlow, Eric (LUMT) 8-2

3. Vince Ireland/Jonah Roeper (RIPONMT) def. Vorpahl, Evan/Bianchi, Alessandro (LUMT) 8-4

Match Notes

Lakeland University 0-1

Ripon College 1-1

Doubles order of finish: 2, 1, 3 Singles order of finish: 1, 4*, 3, 5, 6, 2

T-2:51