INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – For the fourth time this season the Cleveland State men's tennis team has swept the Horizon League weekly awards, as Luke Phillips has been named the Singles Player of the Week and Matthew Terry and Kade Mindry earned Doubles Team of the Week honors.
Last week this trio helped the Vikings to a 1-1 outing, including a victory at Purdue that marked the first win for the Vikings over a Power Five team since the 2009-10 campaign.
Phillips went 2-0 in singles on the week, picking up a 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory at the No. 2 spot against Western Michigan and a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles against Purdue. Phillips' win at Purdue helped the Vikings clinch the 4-2 match, and marked his fourth straight singles win.
"Luke was a rock for us this weekend, he picked up two big singles wins, including a much needed point in a 4-2 victory at Purdue, which was a huge win for the program," head coach Brian Etzkin said. "Against WMU he was playing up a spot in the lineup and was able to fight off several match points to pick up his win, while he carried that momentum into his match at Purdue and continued to play at a very high level."
For the season, Phillips owns a 16-9 record, including a 7-4 mark this spring. For his career, Phillips moved into 11th place on the CSU Singles Wins List, finishing the weekend with 63 career victories.
In doubles action, Terry and Mindry posted a 1-0 weekend, picking up a 6-4 win at Purdue in their lone match of the week. The duo helped the Vikings pick up the crucial doubles point against the Boilermakers, marking the seventh time this season that the Vikings have earned the early advantage.
"Matt and Kade showed a resurgence on the doubles court this week, playing with a high level of energy and great teamwork. Through the early part of the spring season we have come to rely on the doubles point, and Matt and Kade are certainly a big part of us being able to earn seven doubles points through the first six weeks of the spring season," Etzkin said.
Terry and Mindry now own a team-best 7-2 record this spring, with all nine results coming at No. 2 doubles.
This trio will be back in action on Saturday (March 7), when the Vikings head to St. Bonaventure for a 2:00 p.m. match.