University of Mississippi tennis players Zvonimir Babic and Nik Scholtz set up to receive a serve. (DM Photo | Kayla Beatty)
The 19th ranked Rebel netters swept the doubles portion of the match and the first three singles matches to win their home opener against the Troy Trojans 4-3 Monday evening at the Gillom Sports Center. The Rebels started the match off strong, but would end up losing the final three matches.
Junior Stefan Lindmark and freshman Grey Hamilton started the match with a 6-1 victory in No. 3 doubles over Trojans junior Daniel Bustamante and freshman Calum McKinlay. Freshman Gustav Hansson and senior William Kallberg followed with a 6-3 win over sophomore Pablo Moreno and freshman Andy Lau, and senior Nik Scholtz and freshman Zvonomir Babic closed out the doubles portion with a 6-4 triumph over junior Gabriel Dias and sophomore Hassan Ndayishimye.
Scholtz won at No. 1 singles in straight sets over Ndayishimye, 6-3, 6-4.
“I think I served pretty well,” Scholtz said. “I think I played the big points pretty well. I knew the guy could play and I knew I had to do everything well, from preparation to execution. I think I did a good job of that today.”
“I felt like Nik (Scholtz) got better and better throughout the match, and felt more comfortable as the match went on,” Ole Miss head coach Toby Hansson said. “He was anxious to get out here and show how well he was playing.”
In No. 2 singles, Lindmark rallied to overcome a 3-0 deficit in the first set against junior Gabriel Dias to tie it at 3-3 and went on to win the lengthy match 7-5, 6-2.
“Like Stefan has done so many times this year, he was able to mentally come back and find a way,” Hansson said. “It’s a true mark of a tough guy and a confident player.”
At No. 3 singles, Kallberg also won in straight sets over Lau, 6-4, 6-3.
“Willie was challenged today even though the score was 6-4, 6-3. It felt like it was a lot closer than that,” Hansson said.
In the next round of singles, however, the Rebels were swept.
At No. 4 singles, Babic won the first set against Bustamante 6-2, but lost the second set 3-6 and then lost the tiebreaker 8-10.
At No. 5 singles, sophomore Ricardo Jorge fell to Trojan junior Giovani Samaha 3-6, 2-6.
Finally, at No. 6 singles, freshman Grey Hamilton fell to Trojan sophomore Pablo Moreno 4-6, 4-6.
“We were playing a team that we were expected to beat, so that adds a little extra pressure,” Scholtz said. “The energy was a little down at the end, but overall it was a solid performance.”
“I feel like the energy left the guys a little bit. We let that affect us. I would like to have that energy all the way through, but it was tough to create that today,” Hansson said. “I have to give credit to Troy. They did a great job of competing. They kept on working.”
The Rebels are set to compete in the ITA National Team Indoor Intercollegiate Championships starting Friday in Chicago.
