PICTURED ABOVE: Matt Steiner earned wins against #11-ranked Kenyon at number-three singles and number-one doubles.

Kalamazoo, Mich. - The Thunder men's tennis team opened its 2017 spring campaign on Saturday with a pair of matchups against nationally ranked foes. Wheaton lost a 9-0 matchup at #36-ranked Kalamazoo on Saturday morning. Kenyon College, ranked 11th in Division III, edged the Thunder 5-4 in Saturday afternoon's matchup at Kalamazoo's Markin Center.

Justin Ancona won a 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) matchup against Kenyon's Nicholas Paolucci at number-one singles. Matt Steiner was a 6-3, 6-2 winner at number-three singles against Kenyon's Michael Liu. Wheaton won two of the three doubles matches against Kenyon. Ancona and Steiner earned a 9-7 win at number-one doubles and Dane Paulsen teamed with Jeremiah Yi for an 8-4 win at number-two doubles.

The Thunder men's tennis team will travel to Whitewater, Wisconsin next weekend for three matches. The Thunder will take on #17-ranked UW-Whitewater, Grinnell and Ohio Wesleyan on the two-day trip.

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KENYON 5, WHEATON 4
Singles competition
1. Justin Ancona (WHEATON) def. Nicholas Paolucci (KENYON) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
2. Jacob Zalenski (KENYON) def. Dane Paulsen (WHEATON) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
3. Matt Steiner (WHEATON) def. Michael Liu (KENYON) 6-3, 6-2
4. Austin Diehl (KENYON) def. Jeremiah Yi (WHEATON) 6-1, 6-1
5. Max Smith (KENYON) def. Josh Cheng (WHEATON) 6-3, 6-1
6. Weston Noall (KENYON) def. Karl Wenzel (WHEATON) 6-1, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Justin Ancona/Matt Steiner (WHEATON) def. Nicholas Paolucci/Mike Roberts (KENYON) 9-7
2. Dane Paulsen/Jeremiah Yi (WHEATON) def. Weston Noall/Peter Hazlett (KENYON) 8-4
3. Austin Diehl/Tristan Kaye (KENYON) def. Josh Cheng/Andrew Bristol (WHEATON) 8-6

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KALAMAZOO 9, WHEATON 0
Singles competition
1. Branden Metzler (KZOO) def. Justin Ancona (WHEATON) 7-5, 6-4
2. Daniel Henry (KZOO) def. Dane Paulsen (WHEATON) 6-2, 6-1
3. Noah Karoub (KZOO) def. Matt Steiner (WHEATON) 4-6, 7-5, 10-4
4. Eric De Witt (KZOO) def. Jeremiah Yi (WHEATON) 6-2, 6-2
5. Elan Dantus (KZOO) def. Josh Cheng (WHEATON) 6-0, 6-1
6. Allen Vinson (KZOO) def. Andrew Torok (WHEATON) 6-1, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Branden Metzler/Elan Dantus (KZOO) def. Justin Ancona/Matt Steiner (WHEATON) 8-5
2. Zack Ray/Eric De Witt (KZOO) def. Dane Paulsen/Jeremiah Yi (WHEATON) 8-3
3. Allen Vinson/Daniel Henry (KZOO) def. Andrew Bristol/Josh Cheng (WHEATON) 8-4