OAKLAND CITY, Ind. – The Hanover men's tennis team cruised to a pair of 8-1 victories at Oakland City (Ind.) Sunday, improving its current winning streak to five.

The Panthers (9-10), who were taking a brief two-match break from Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference action, won all six doubles contests Sunday and only conceded the No. 1 singles spot in both matches with the Mighty Oaks.

A quartet of Panthers posted at least a combined 3-0 record in singles and doubles play, including freshman Jed Fajt (Greencastle, Ind.), who lost just one game between two singles and one doubles match. Fajt swept his singles competitors in the fifth and sixth slots, while he and classmate Roger Trombley (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) earned an 8-1 decision in the No. 3 doubles spot during the second match. Trombley also won the No. 4 singles match in the night cap, 6-1, 6-1.

Also picking up two singles and at least one doubles win Sunday were sophomores Jonathan Helmers (Cincinanti, Ohio) and Mitchell Minniear (Muncie, Ind.). Helmers lost one game in each of his first two singles sets before earning a 6-4, 7-6 victory in the second half of the doubleheader. He also teamed with junior Brent Barrett (New Albany, Ind.) in the opener, as the duo took the top doubles match, 8-1.

Minniear and senior Dakota Smith (Greenfield, Ind.) blanked their counterparts in the No. 2 doubles slot during the first match, with the sophomore also picking up a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 5 and an 8-1, pro-set victory at No. 6. The two also won 8-0 in the second match's doubles play.

Barrett was the fourth Panther to earn at least three points for the team Sunday, as he also paired with sophomore Landon Carrico (New Albany, Ind.) in an 8-2, No. 1 win in the night cap. The junior's lone singles competition came in the opener, where he won at No. 3 by a count of 6-0, 6-1.

Carrico and Smith each finished with 1-1 singles records, with both winning at No. 2 and falling in the top spot. Carrico was also 2-0 in doubles action, teaming with Barrett and junior Alec Bates (New Albany, Ind.).

Hanover lost just six games over six doubles matches, conceding two or fewer games in each outing. Singles play also saw the Blue and Red win 20 of the 24 sets played.

The Panthers will now enter the final week of the regular season with two HCAC matches remaining. Opening the final stretch will be a home contest with Franklin at 5 p.m., Wednesday, April 25. Hanover will also honor its lone senior, Smith, during the match with the Grizzlies.

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@hanover.edu