Norse Post 3-1 Record For the Weekend - Improve to 6-1
Feb. 9, 2009
Head Coach Brian Huinker sent his squad in two different directions on Saturday, Feb. 7. One half of the team traveled to St. Cloud, Minn. and faced St. Cloud State University and St. John's University. The other half, traveled to Davenport, Iowa and played Olivet Nazarene and St. Ambrose University.
In St. Cloud, the Norse dropped their first match of the season to NCAA II St. Cloud State University by a score of 6-3. The Norse picked up one victory at #3 doubles and two in singles action. Scott Sundstrom (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) posted a hard-fought three set victory at #1 singles, while Max Piepkorn (Fargo, N.D./North) tallied a straight set victory at #3. Joseph LaFountaine (St. Cloud, Minn./Apollo) and Tyler Van Heest (Golden Valley, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) were victorious 8-3 at #3 doubles.
The Norse cruised to an 8-1 victory over St. John's University in the second match of the afternoon. The Norse swept the doubles play and lost just on match in singles. Sundstrom, Utsab Rijal (Kathmandu, Nepal/New Summit), Piepkorn, Jacob Reitz (Sartell, Minn.) and LaFountaine all posted straight set victories in singles action.
A bit further south, the Norse squared off against two NAIA schools. In the opening match, Luther edged #19 Olivet Nazarene 5-4. After picking up two wins in doubles action, Harrison Whiteley (Wayzata, Minn./Orono), Mark Mateski (Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley) and Samriddh Burman (Kolkata, India) posted wins in singles play. Whiteley at #1 and Burman at #5 won in straight sets, while Mateski at #4 secured the victory with a 10-5 tie-breaker in the second set.
Whiteley and Thomas Orser (Keller, Texas) posted an 8-5 victory at #1 doubles. Aaron Gedron (Flower Mound, Texas) and Mateski were victorious 8-6 at #2.
The Norse improved their overall record to 6-1 following an impressive 9-0 victory over host St. Ambrose University.
Luther will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 14 when it will host Iowa Conference opponents Loras College and Cornell College. The Loras match will begin here in the Regents Center at 8:30 a.m. The Cornell match will begin at 4:00 p.m.
That evening, the Norse will also play Graceland College in Waterloo, Iowa at 7:00 p.m.
