Cornell fell to MWC opponent Lake Forest 9-0 Saturday to move to 0-2 in conference play.
The Rams move to 7-12 on the year, 0-2 in conference play as the Foresters improve to 6-8, 1-1 in the conference.
In doubles play, Chris Penas Hull and Zachary Ong fought hard in their 8-4 loss over Ian Villardi Venturi and Kyle Lassen. Edwin Holyoake and August Krahn lost similarly at No. 3 doubles to Jacon Tilton and Eduard Manuitt.
Ong gave Venturi a challenge at No. 3 singles in his 7-5, 7-5 loss.
Earlier in the week, the Rams lost to Coe 8-1.
The visiting Kohawks (11-5) took the remaining matches to win the meet, 8-1, and clinched the 2022-23 Bremner Cup All-Sports Series with an 8-4 lead and three head-to-head competitions remaining. The Rams and Kohawks will battle in men’s and women’s track & field Friday in Cedar Rapids, followed by baseball Tuesday in Mount Vernon.
Alexander Hadler-Strumlauf and Federico Polidori were up to the challenge against Coe’s Graham Peterson and Ivan Burt-Smith, the No. 1 doubles runners-up in the American Rivers Conference this past fall. Cornell’s tandem reeled off their fifth straight victory as partners and climbed to 10-8 on the season.
The Rams fell by the same 8-3 margins at No. 2 doubles (Chris Penas-Hull/Zachary Ong) and No. 3 doubles (August Krahn/Edwin Holyoake).
Hadler-Strumlauf saw his eight-match overall win streak snapped at No. 1 singles, dropping a 6-4, 6-2 decision to Peterson. The Rams lost by tight 6-4 opening-set scores in each of the top four singles matches.
Polidori came up short 6-4, 6-1 at the No. 2 position. Ong lost 6-4, 6-1 at No. 3, while Penas-Hull lost 6-4, 6-0 at No. 4.