CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. – The Augustana men's tennis team opened the spring portion of its schedule with a pair of duals at Wabash College Saturday. The Vikings started with eighth-ranked Case Western Reserve and fell 8-1. Coach Jon Miedema's squad then dropped a 5-1 decision to the host Little Giants. That meet was shortened due to concerns over weather conditions and travel.
 
CASE WESTERN RESERVE 8, AUGUSTANA 1
 
Austin Schoeck (Alleman HS, Rock Island, Ill.) and Harald Olsson (Hersby Gymnasium, Stockholm, Sweden) picked up Augustana's lone victory against the highly-ranked Spartan outfit. The juniors defeated Ataman Billor and Andy Wang at number two doubles 8-6.
 
The number one Viking duo of freshmen Samuel Totten (University HS, Normal, Ill.) and Eric Pohl (Fremd HS, Palatine, Ill.) fell 8-3 to Christopher Krimbill and Louis Stuerke. At number three, it was Spartans Manfred Barrios and Tytus Chen squeaking by junior Patrick Lenz (Villanova Prep, Ojai, Calif.) and sophomore Jonathon Elsey (York HS, Elmhurst, Ill.) 9-8 on a 7-5 tiebreaker win.
 
Totten fell three and three to Krimbill at first singles. At number two, it was Schoeck dropping a 6-1, 6-2 decision to Viswajit Simhadri. Stuerke got the better of Pohl 7-6, 6-0 at third singles and Barrios beat Lenz three and two at number four. Chen scored a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Elsey at number five and Olsson dropped an 8-4 pro set to Bas van Lent at sixth singles.
 
WABASH 5, AUGUSTANA 1
 
Totten was a winner at first singles. He was leading 7-6, 4-3 when Wabash's Daniel Degado was forced to retire.
 
The Vikings suffered two of their three doubles losses via tiebreaker. Delgado and William Reifeis picked up a 9-8 (7-4) win over Totten and Pohl at number one. At number two, it was Mark Troiano and Michael Makio scoring an 8-6 win over Schoeck and Olsson. Lenz and Elsey fell 9-8 (7-2) to Graham McMullen and Mazin Hakim at third doubles.
 
Rounding out singles play were Schoeck, who fell love and two to Makio at number two and Pohl, who was a 6-3, 6-3 loser to Troiano at number three.
 
Next up for Miedema's squad are duals against St. Ambrose and Monmouth on Saturday, February 7.