Cornell’s men’s tennis team dropped a tightly contested 5-4 dual meet to the University of Northwestern-St. Paul.
In doubles play, the Rams got a quick first point at No. 1 with Alexander Hadler-Strumlauf and Justin Mendez claiming the match due to a injury retirement from UNW. The Eagles struck back with decisive wins at No. 2 and No. 3 by identical 8-1 scores to take the team score lead into singles.
UNW clinched the match winning the first three singles matches at No. 3, No. 5, and No. 6 in straight sets. The returning all-conference sophomore trio of Hadler-Strumlauf, Federico Polidori and Chris Penas-Hull all claimed strong straight set wins to finish out the meet.
Hadler-Strumlauf won his sixth straight singles match at No. 1, 6-4, 6-3 and shares a team best eight singles wins on the season. Polidori who also shares the team best singles wins this spring, won a grueling 6-4, 6-4 match at No. 2. Penas-Hull was a 6-3, 6-4 winner at No. 4.
Earlier in the week, Cornell dropped a 7-2 dual meet to Emerson College.
Emerson struck first with an 8-1 win at No. 2 doubles. Hadler-Strumlauf and Polidori battled at No. 1 and came up short, 8-5. The No. 3 doubles pair of Edwin Holyoake and Bryce Fincher narrowly fell 8-6 to give the Lions a doubles sweep.
Hadler-Strumlauf extended his singles win streak to five, earning a hard-fought win at No. 1, 3-6, 6-3, 10-5. Holyoake claimed the Rams’ second singles win with a marathon victory at No. 6, 2-6, 7-6(4), 13-11.
Emerson posted straight-set wins at the remaining singles spots. Polidori lost 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2, Justin Mendez fell 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3, Penas-Hull lost 6-0, 6-2 at No. 4, and Orion Mason fell 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5.
The Rams return to the courts on March 19, hosting Bethany Lutheran College at 11 a.m.