Grinnell men dispose of NCAA D-II Augustana to salvage tennis split

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Gustavus Adolphus 9, Grinnell 0
Grinnell 5, Augustana 2

ST. PETER, Minn. - After losing a hard-fought decision to nationally-ranked Gustavus Adolphus College, the Grinnell College men's tennis team bounced back to defeat NCAA Division II foe Augustana College of South Dakota Saturday.

Playing under NCAA Division II scoring rules, where three doubles matches count as a combined one point, Grinnell scratched out a 5-2 victory over the Vikings.

The Pioneers got the edge at the start by winning two of three doubles matches for that critical point. Michael Conlin-Brandenburg '21 and Ben Cobin '20 teamed up to win 6-4 at No. 2 and Ishaan Tibrewal '21 and Adam Burke '23 earned a 6-1 decision at No. 3.

Singles winners were Bowen Mince '22 at No. 1 (6-7, 6-3, 7-6), Cobin at No. 3 (6-4, 6-3), Burke at No. 4 (6-2, 6-3) and Tibrewal at No. 5 (5-7, 6-4, 6-4). Cobin's victory pushed his career singles win total to 69, which ranks ninth all-time at Grinnell.

Against Gustavus Adolphus, which is ranked 20th in NCAA D-III and fourth in the Central Region, the Pioneers battled three singles players who are nationally ranked and another who is regionally ranked, as well as one doubles team that is ranked nationally and another regionally. Among Grinnell's highlights was Mince battling the nation's No. 38 player within 6-4, 6-4 at the top singles spot.

The Pioneers, 6-2 on the season, entertain Concordia University of Nebraska and St. Olaf College next Saturday at the Bear Center Field House.

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