MOLINE, Ill. – Augustana evened its men's tennis record at 3-3 on Saturday, February 10 by splitting a pair of non-conference matches at the Quad City Tennis Club in Moline, Illinois. The Vikings dropped a hard-fought 5-4 decision to Luther, and former Augustana Head Coach Adam Strand, in the opener before beating Monmouth 8-1 in the nightcap.
 
Augustana will be in action again on Saturday, February 17 when Head Coach Jon Miedema takes his troops to Kalamazoo, Michigan to play nationally ranked Kalamazoo and Calvin, which happens to be Miedema's alma mater.
 
02/10/18 - LUTHER 5, AUGUSTANA 4
 
Doubles lead can't hold up as Vikings fall to Luther 5-4
 
Despite taking a 2-1 lead after doubles the Vikings were unable to hold on as Luther claimed four of the six singles matches and took the match 5-4. The Norse is coached by Adam Strand, who was the head coach at Augustana from 2006 through 2011.
 
Senior Samuel Totten (University HS, Normal, Ill.) and freshman Peter Alex (Hinsdale South HS, Darien, Ill.) got the Vikings off to a great start with an impressive 8-5 win over Anders Jensen and Nate Parsons at number one doubles. Augustana's number two team of junior Jack Morkin (University HS, Bloomington, Ill.) and freshman Caio DeRezende (Sao Paulo, Brazil) earned a hard-fought 9-8 win at number two against Trent Schneider and Karki Sakchham.
 
The number three team of freshmen Tom Friberg (Lund, Sweden) and Rodrigo Medeiros (Brazil) lost 8-3 to Cole Schneider and Brian Murman.
 
DeRezende continued his fine singles play as he defeated Grant Morton 6-2; 6-2 at number one. Alex got the other Augustana singles victory as he defeated Schneider 6-2; 7-6 at number three.
 
Totten fell 4-6; 2-6 to Jensen at number two and Morkin lost 3-6; 1-6 to Parsons at number four. Freshman Guilherme Calixto (Presidente Prudente, Brazil) lost 1-6; 2-6 to Schneider at number five and Friberg dropped a close 3-6; 7-5; 6-10 decision at number six to Brock Norwood.
 
02/10/18 – AUGUSTANA 8, MONMOUTH 1
 
Vikings even record with 8-1 win over Fighting Scots
 
After dropping a narrow 5-4 decision to Luther earlier in the day, Miedema's charges bounced back with a convincing 8-1 win over Monmouth at the QC Tennis Club. In the process the Vikings evened their record at 3-3 on the season.
 
In a similar start to the first match, Augustana took a 2-1 lead after doubles. Freshman Peter Alex (Hinsdale South HS, Darien, Ill.) and senior Samuel Totten (University HS, Normal, Ill.) defeated Dylan Wong and Landon Walker 8-4 at number one. Junior Jack Morkin (University HS, Bloomington, Ill.) and freshman Rodrigo Medeiros (Brazil) easily dispatched of Paulo Pliego and Saxon Day at number two by a score of 8-1.
 
Sophomore Scott Daluga (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) and freshman Guilherme Calixto (Presidente Prudente, Brazil) lost a tough 8-9 decision to Zach Harris and Joseph Shie at number three doubles.
 
Unlike the Luther match where the Vikings let a 2-1 doubles lead slip away, Augustana rolled through the singles portion with six straight victories to clinch the 8-1 win.
 
Freshman Caio DeRezende (Sao Paulo, Brazil), who leads the team in victories with seven this year, defeated Wong 6-3; 6-2 at number one. Totten beat Walker 6-2; 6-0 at number two and Alex took care of Pliego 6-1; 6-0 at number three. Morkin beat Day 6-2; 6-1 at number four and freshman Tom Friberg (Lund, Sweden) pulled off a three-set win over Shie at number five by a score of 6-2; 4-6; 10-6. Junior Alex Riddle (York HS, Elmhurst, Ill.) blanked Harris 6-0; 6-0 at number six.