The Gustavus men’s tennis team opened up its 2012 spring campaign with a pair of matches against NCAA Division III opponents Hawaii Pacific University and BYU-Hawaii on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 2-3.
In Waipahu on Thursday afternoon against No. 22 Hawaii Pacific, the Sea Warriors won five of six singles and swept doubles to defeat the Gusties 8-1 in the season opener. Sophomore Mya Smith-Dennis recorded Gustavus’ only win of the match, defeating Georgi Yordanov in three sets 6-4, 4-6, and 10-8 in the super-breaker.
The Gusties battled from start to finish in their Friday afternoon match against No. 25 BYU-Hawaii held in the city of Laie. The Seasiders picked up a pair of doubles wins and three of the six singles wins to come away with a 5-4 victory.
Picking up victories in singles for Gustavus was Mya Smith-Dennis, Marcel Gyswyt, and Joey MacGibbon. Smith-Dennis edged Martin Chojnacki in three sets 6-7(2), 7-6(5), and 6-3 at No. 2 singles. Gysyt topped Christiaan Noot 7-6(4), 6-3 at No. 4, and MacGibbon won a three-set battle over Isaac Hadley 3-6, 6-4, and 6-4 at No. 5.
Gyswyt and Bradley Entwistle defeated Noot and Hadley 8-4 at No. 3 to give Gustavus its only win in the doubles competition.
Upon its return to Minnesota, the Gustavus men’s tennis team will head straight into MIAC play on Saturday, Feb. 11. The Gusties will take on Hamline at 8:30 a.m. in St. Paul and Saint John’s at 7:00 p.m. in Sartell, Minn.
Box Score | Hawaii Pacific 8 def. Gustavus 1
Box Score | BYU-Hawaii 5 def. Gustavus 4