Men’s tennis: Sauk Valley downs MATC in season opener

STERLING – The Sauk Valley men’s tennis team won four matches decisively and picked up five forfeit wins on its way to a 9-0 season-opening win against Milwaukee Area Technical College on Saturday afternoon at Westwood Indoor Tennis Center.

No. 3 singles player Jonathan Rhodes started the day with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Zach Cota.

“Staying aggressive and pushing to the corners, and really pushing the net when he hit weak shots,” Rhodes said about the key to his victory.

After Rhodes’ win, the Skyhawks continued to roll.

No. 2 singles player Abbot Haner prevailed 6-2, 6-2 over Josh Zaborski, while Preston Engel took down Tim Haspel 6-2, 6-1 in the No. 1 singles match.

“Keeping the ball in play and moving him, and then bringing him into the net,” Haner said about his game plan to pick up his win. “So like, forcing him to go back and forth across. And just wearing him out eventually and hopefully making him tired. And then putting the ball away when he hits an easy shot up. Just put it away, don’t give him a chance to get it.”

Finally, in No. 1 doubles, Preston Engel and Corey Engel beat Haspel and Zaborski 6-0, 6-1.

“I think the key for us was just keeping everything in play, really. Making opponents miss their shots,” Preston said. “We weren’t trying to go all-out, go all crazy or anything. We were just trying to make them miss and weren’t trying to overhit.”

Added Corey: “Just being calm and being relaxed. The more tense you are, the less fluid you are. Your game kind of constricts. The more relaxed you are, the more fun you have with it, the better you play.”

No. 4 singles player Zach Wallace, No. 5 singles player Corey Engel and No. 6 singles player Jared Mitchell picked up wins by forfeit.

The No. 2 doubles team of Haner and Wallace and the No. 3 duo of Mitchell and Rhodes picked up two more forfeit wins, capping the 9-0 victory.