Dutch men swept by Grinnell in tennis

GRINNELL — The Central College men’s tennis team battled another high-level opponent Sunday in a 9-0 loss against Grinnell College.

The Dutch are 0-2 after losing 8-1 to Bethel University (Minn.) in Rochester last Saturday.

“We looked better than we did last week,” coach Ryun Ferrell said. “We had a lot of games go to deuce, but if you don’t win those it still goes as a 6-1, 6-1 loss, even if it doesn’t feel like it. Grinnell was able to win the big points better than us.”

The tightest singles match between the Dutch and the Pioneers (1-0) was at No. 3 as Jack Lunn outlasted Tanner Finken (sophomore, Carroll, Kuemper Catholic HS) 6-4, 6-3.

“Tanner is figuring out the No. 3 spot day-by-day,” Ferrell said. “He came out of the blocks pretty fast, he just came up a little short.”

After spending the fall semester studying abroad, David Boschma (junior, Olathe, Kan., Northwest HS) is back for Central in the No. 2 singles and No. 2 doubles spots. He lost 6-1, 6-2 in singles and 8-4 in doubles with Trey Melvin (freshman, Lawrence, Kan., Free State HS).

“David has looked really good so far,” Ferrell said. “Him and Trey looked tough after moving up to the No. 2 doubles spot this week.”

Central has three matches next weekend in two different locations. The team hosts a triangular with William Jewell (Mo.) and Midland University (Neb.) at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on campus at H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse. A different part of the team is headed to Moline, Illinois to battle St. Ambrose University at 11:30 a.m.

“We’ll be diluting the product a little bit but not a ton,” Ferrell said. “It’s a good opportunity to get the whole team matches.”