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The Dartmouth
July 20, 2025 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Tennis goes west, drops three of five

The Dartmouth men's tennis team went to California for spring break and returned to Hanover with two wins and three losses. After entering the break at 5-4, the Big Green now stands at 7-7.

Despite coming out with a losing record, the team was not altogether disappointed with the trip and viewed it as a good experience.

"I think the team did okay," co-captain Andres Reyes '05 remarked. "Obviously having more wins on the trip would have been nice, but I feel we are learning a lot as a team."

The trip began with a loss to the Utah Utes (12-3). The threat of rain resulted in the singles matches being played first, and after the Utes won five of the six, they decided not to play the doubles matches. Dave Waslen '07 got the only Dartmouth victory with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 win over Zach Ganger at the No. 2 singles spot. Although Waslen's was the only Dartmouth victory, co-captains Dave Webb '05 and Andres Reyes '05, along with Jeff Schechtman '08, took their matches to a third set.

In their next match against the University of Iowa (9-5), the Big Green came away on top. As has been the case for most of its wins this season, the team took the momentum from winning the doubles point into the singles matches.

"Sometimes people underestimate the value of the doubles point," Kinyon said. "The teams are so close that the doubles point often becomes the maker or breaker."

The team of Reyes and Webb won 8-4, while Schechtman and Mark Brodie '07 escaped 8-6.

The two teams then split the singles matches, winning three each and making the doubles point the difference. Waslen won again with a second serve ace to clinch his match and secure the victory for Dartmouth.

Not letting up for the match against Williams, the Big Green came out strong against the Ephs and won the match 7-0. Webb and Reyes did not play in the doubles match, but everyone stepped up in their absence to complete the sweep. The win brought the team to 2-1 on the trip, but it would be the last win.

Following its dominating performance against Williams, the team faced a tough match against Loyola Marymount (6-9). Though the contest was competitive, the Lions proved too strong for Dartmouth. LMU took the doubles point by winning at the top two spots and grabbed four of the six singles matches.

Stepping up to their role as co-captains, Webb and Reyes tried to carry the team, coming away with the only two wins on the singles side, but it just wasn't enough.

"We won five out of six first sets and seemed to be in a very good position to win the match," Reyes added, "but LMU was able to come back and win three of those matches, stealing the win for them."

Three of the four losses for Dartmouth did go into the third set, making the match one of the closest of the year.

In the last match, the Big Green squared off with the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (3-8). The Gauchos won the doubles point, taking two out of the three matches and continued their winning in singles. The only successes in the singles matches came from Waslen, who finished the trip going 4-1 in head-to-head play, and Reyes, who went 3-1.

"Dave [Waslen] has made amazing strides over the past year. His play on the trip was terrific. Dre [Reyes] also had a great trip," Kinyon said. "He is one of our most experienced players and, if he is playing well, a very tough out."

The Big Green now looks forward to the Ivy League portion of the season, which kicks off after a Thursday match against Middlebury.

"The level of competition we faced out here in California is pretty much at the same level of a lot of the Ivy League schools," Reyes added. "It was good to see where we stand going into the Ivy League season."