Wheaton, Ill. -- The Thunder men's tennis team opened the second day of play in the 2023 CCIW Men's Tennis Championship with a semifinal matchup against the tournament's top seed, the North Central Cardinals. The first meeting between the sides this season in Naperville resulted in a 7-2 win for North Central, and the underdog Thunder secured the same point total again on their home court in Friday's semifinal. Wheaton ends its season with an overall team record of 12-10, while the Cardinals advance to tomorrow's tournament championship match.

The competition hosts made sure to avoid walking away from the doubles events empty-handed, as the Thunder earned a point through the #2 combo of Joey Geisz and Jacob Williams. The pair triumphed over their NCC rivals with a gritty 8-6 result that saw them end the year with an impressive 16-4 record as a doubles team.

Geisz was then responsible for Wheaton's lone win in the singles category before the match reached a decision. The junior from Colorado Springs took the first set of his #5 matchup at 6-4, before mounting a notable three-game comeback in the second frame to win by a 6-4 margin once again.

While Wheaton will be disappointed not to play for a CCIW championship at home, the Thunder can be proud of a solid effort against the conference's strongest team and tournament favorites. With only two student-athletes on this year's roster set to graduate in the spring, Wheaton can look forward to possessing a strong squad for the 2024 campaign.