Tennis Lords top NCAC

Dropping just one doubles match point, the Kenyon men's tennis team breezed through the two-day North Coast Athletic Conference championship to capture its fourth straight conference title. The Lords notched victories over Earlham and Oberlin colleges, and then defeated Denison University in the final round to claim the championship.

Unfavorable weather conditions forced the tournament to be moved indoors to the Advantage Club, in Newark, Ohio. The change of scenery proved no problem for the Lords, who whipped up identical 4-0 wins over Earlham and Oberlin on the first day of competition. A 4-1 victory over Denison the next day not only gave the Lords their ninth title in the past seventeen years, but also extended their conference winning streak to forty-four matches.

Kenyon senior Mike Herrick won all three of his singles matches in the tournament. He won at number-one singles against Earlham, then swiped a pair of wins at number-two singles against Oberlin and Denison. Teamed with classmate Borko Tesic, Herrick also went 2-1 in his doubles matches in the number-one spot.

Tesic won twice at number-one singles, improving his overall season record to 17-2, while senior Joe Freeman chalked up two more singles victories for Kenyon and was a perfect three-for-three at number-two doubles with his partner Sean Stewart.

The conference title win increased the likelihood of Kenyon's earning another berth in the NCAA Division III Championship. Eight teams from the central region are awarded national tournament spots. The Lords currently rank number 23 in the nation and number 6 in the central region. If the NCAA selection committee chooses Kenyon, it will be the Lords' eleventh appearance in the national championship tournament.