MARION, Ind. – Top-seed Indiana Wesleyan University men’s tennis won the Crossroads League Tournament Championship for the second time in program history on Saturday with a 6-0 win over No. 2-seed Marian (Ind.). The 2017 fall season marks the first time IWU has won both the Crossroads League regular season and tournament titles since the inception of the league tournament in 2010.

MATCH VITALS

• Crossroads League Tournament Championship
• Score:  Indiana Wesleyan - 6   |   Marian - 0
• Records:  Indiana Wesleyan 15-0   |   Marian 10-3  
• Location:   Sutter Tennis Center   |   Indiana Wesleyan University   |   Marion, Indiana 

DOUBLES

• No. 1:  Eli Steiner/Daniel Zolnikov (IWU) def. Deiters/Marroquin (MU) 8-3
• No. 2:  Gavin White/Jacob Rankin (IWU) def. Bogle/Roberts (MU) 8-5
• No. 3:  Joel Montgomery/Austin Christner (IWU) def. Ismoilov/Wittenbaum (MU) 8-2
   

SINGLES

• No. 1:  Eli Steiner (IWU) vs. Nathan Bogle (MU) 4-6, 6-4 - unfinished
• No. 2:  Daniel Zolnikov (IWU) def. Ian Deiters (MU) 7-6, 6-4
• No. 3:  Joel Montgomery (IWU) vs. Noah Roberts (MU) 6-3, 6-7 - unfinished
• No. 4:  Jacob Rankin (IWU) vs. Alex Wittenbaum (MU) 7-5, 4-4 - unfinished
• No. 5:  Austin Christner (IWU) def. Nicholas Marroquin (MU) 6-0, 7-6
• No. 6:  Tyler Abbott (IWU) def. Max Ismoilov (MU) 6-1, 6-0
   

COACH SHIGLEY SAYS…

• “It was difficult playing conditions with the high winds today but the men played well. We knew it was going to be windy so we talked to both teams a lot about making the wind your friend and not your enemy – to play smart and to always know where the wind is coming from.”
   
• “The last time we played Marian we were down 2-1 after doubles. But our doubles play has improved immensely since then and we took a 3-0 advantage into singles play. The singles matches were all close with the exception of Tyler Abbott at No. 6. Tyler has been a rock for us at No. 6. We just had to get one more point. Eli at No. 1 and Joel at No. 3 both played well but split sets and had just started the third set when Austin Christner at No. 5 and Daniel Zolnikov at No. 2 both won match point at the same time to give us the 6-0 victory.”
   
• “The men’s team has not won the league championship since 2013. I am so happy and proud of this group of seniors and how hard they have worked to win this championship. We are very excited to be representing the Crossroads League at the NAIA National Tournament. We will give the guys a week off and then we will start practicing and preparing for Nationals in May.”
   

UP NEXT FOR MEN’S TENNIS

• Indiana Wesleyan completes the fall season with a perfect 15-0 record and Crossroads League regular season and tournament championships. IWU will be back in action for the spring season.