BEREA, OHIO — The fourth-seeded Baldwin-Wallace College men’s tennis team lost to top-seeded Mount Union College, 5-3, in the semifinal round of the 2009 Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament today (Friday, April 30, 2009) at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. The loss ends another highly successful season for 20-year Head Coach Brian Rector and his Yellow Jackets.

 

Despite the loss, the Yellow Jackets end their season at 19-4 overall while Mt. Union moves into tomorrow’s title match at 18-4 overall.

 

In addition, the 19 victories marks the seventh straight season that Rector’s program has won 19 or more matches and has advanced to the OAC Final Four. Twice (2003 and 2004), B-W won the OAC tourney crown and three other times it advanced to the title match.  Rector, the winningest men’s tennis coach in B-W, OAC and Ohio collegiate history, has fasioned a 345-74 career mark, including a 144-21 slate against OAC opponents.

 

The Purple Raiders jumped out to a 2-1 lead after doubles play and won three times in singles play to earn the win.

 

In doubles action, B-W gained a victory from its number one duo of senior Jim Kucera (Mentor) and sophomore Matt Lachman (Cleveland Heights/ Lakewood St. Edward) as they improved to 13-7 overall.  In addition and despite their losses, the No.2 doubles team of junior two-time All-OAC player Andy Redd (Archold) and senior Zach Long (Ashland/ Senior) finished the season at 17-6 and the No.3 duo of freshmen Alex Trzeciak (Avon Lake) and Taylor Long (Ashland/ Senior) finished 18-3 overall.

 

In singles play, Trzeciak won at No.4 and Burris won at No. 5. This season, Trzeciak led the team in wins with 22 and was 22-3 overall and Burris was 20-3 overall. In addition and despite his loss at No.1 singles, Kucera finished his season at 13-13, Lachman was 13-5 at No.2, Burris was 20-4 at No.5 and Irwin was 18-3 at No.6.

 

FOR  MORE  INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at (440) 826-2327 and via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Nick Minerd by phone at (440) 826-2780 and via e-mail at nminerd@bw.edu.  To contact Head Coach Brian Rector, please call him at  (440) 826-5931 or e-mail him at brector@bw.edu.  The athletics FAX can be reached at (440) 826-2192.  More information on tennis may be accessed on the B-W athletics page at www.bw.edu/athletics.

     

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No. 1:  Perry (MUC) defeated Kucera (B-W), 6-2, 6-3; No. 2:  Lachman (B-W) vs. Mogus (MUC), 6-3, 4-6, 2-5 unfinished; No. 3: Widdeoes (MUC) def. Redd (B-W), 6-1, 6-1; No. 4: Trzeciak (B-W) def. Aronson (MUC), 6-7, 6-4, 6-3; No. 5: Burris (B-W) def. Papay (MUC), 6-0, 6-1; No. 6: Kearney (MUC) def. Irwin (B-W), 6-3, 6-4.

 

No. 1:  Kucera-Lachman (B-W) def. Perry-Aronson (MUC), 8-4; No. 2: Mogus-Papay (MUC) def. Redd-Z. Long (B-W), 8-6; No. 3: Widdoes-Kearney (MUC) def. Trzeciak-T. Long (B-W), 8-6.

 

NOTE:  In the OAC Tournament, the first team to score five points is declared the winner and all other matches are listed as unfinished.