GRIFFITH, Ind.— Augustana faced a tall task Friday evening, taking on fourth-ranked University of Chicago at Match Point Tennis & Fitness Club. Although the Maroons came away an 8-1 winner, Viking junior Caio de Rezende (Colegio Itoca, Sao Paulo, Brazil) scored an impressive victory at first singles. Chicago improved to 2-0 on the season, while Coach Jon Miedema's squad dropped to 2-1.
 
Augustana's victory came at number one singles, where de Rezende defeated Erik Kerrigan 7-6 (7-4), 6-4. Kerrigan finished last season ranked fourth in the Central Region by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
 
The Maroons swept the doubles competition. Joshua Xu and Sachin Das beat de Rezende and senior Scott Daluga (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) 8-0 at number three and Kerrigan and Jeremy Yuan downed sophomores Leonardo Panosso (La Sale Caxias, Caxias Do Sul, Brazil) and Kyle Boudreau (Antioch HS, Antioch, Ill.) 8-2 at number two. At first doubles, juniors Sriram Sugumaran (Pleasant Valley HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) and Peter Alex (Hinsdale South HS, Darien, Ill.) dropped an 8-5 decision to Tyler Raclin and Ninan Kumar.
 
At second singles, Alex fell 6-3, 7-5 to Yuan—rated eighth in last year's ITA Central Region rankings.
 
Sugumaran fell 6-2, 6-3 to Xu at third singles and Panosso 6-1, 6-1 to Das at number four. Justin Cassens (Emerald Ridge HS, Puyallup, Wash.) suffered a 6-1, 6-0 setback to Alejandro Rodriguez at number five and Alex Guzhva bested Daluga 6-0, 6-0 at sixth singles.
 
Miedema's crew will be back in action on Saturday, February 8, taking on Hope and Calvin in Holland and Grand Rapids, Michigan, respectively.