The DePauw men's tennis team started its first conference match with a bang as it swept Wittenburg University (Springfield, Ohio) 9-0.
This was DePauw's first conference match since moving from the South Coast Athletic Conference to the North Coast Athletic Conference for the 2012 season. Junior Noah Swiler rejoiced in the win.
"We just joined the NCAC and getting a win in our first match really gives us an incentive to be motivated for conference matches," Swiler said.
DePauw dominated the doubles matches against Wittenberg, an area in which DePauw has been seeking improvement. Sophomores Sam Miles and Ben Kopecky cruised their way to an 8-1 victory.
Second and third doubles teams with senior Michael Rardon and Noah Swiler, and senior Eric Hubbard and junior David Moss defeated Wittenberg 8-2 in the second and third doubles slots.
Swiler thought the team returned to its previous dominance in doubles.
"I think we really got back to playing DePauw doubles," Swiler said. "We were taking over the net, moving quickly and not playing tentatively."
DePauw swept Wittenberg in singles play as well, gaining its first NCAC conference victory and sweeping Wittenberg. Every DePauw singles player against Wittenberg won in two sets. Swiler thought the dominance in doubles gave the players confidence moving into the singles play.
"We played really solid doubles, which is what we had been focusing a lot on," Swiler said. "And I think sweeping them gave us confidence to pull out some victories in singles when some of our guys weren't playing their best."
DePauw later played the reigning Junior College (JUCO) champ, Vincennes University (Vincennes, Ind.). DePauw lost the match 8-1. Miles said the team's reputation may have been a factor in DePauw's play.
"I think we were a bit intimidated by them being national champions," Miles said.
Vincennes swept DePauw in doubles as the reigning JUCO champs showed their dominance. Miles and Kopecky fell 9-7, Swiler and Rardon fell 8-5 and Moss and Hubbard fell 8-4.
Vincennes' strong play in doubles matches continued in singles play, as it won all but one singles match.
Kopecky and Michael both fell in a 10-6 super tiebreaker for the third set in their singles matches. Both fought in vain to take down the second and third singles players for Vincennes.
Swiler won the lone singles match as he defeated Jose Andres Zaatini 1-6, 7-5, 6-3. Swiler said he was proud of his performance.
"I was playing within myself and just played my game," Swiler said. "I had a slump at the beginning of the year but I just kept playing my game and I played solid this weekend."
DePauw will travel to Hilton Head Island, S.C., for a spring break showcase as they take on Erskine College (Due West, SC) and a number of Div. III talents, as they hope to improve on their 6-3 season.