Blue Demons Take it to No. 7 Columbia

EVANSTON, Ill. – DePaul went up against one of the nation's best Friday at the Combe Tennis Center on Northwestern's campus.

Seizing an early 1-0 lead and playing some of their best tennis of the season, the Blue Demons acquitted themselves well in a 6-1 setback to No. 7 Columbia.

Columbia (6-2) has already defeated No. 10 Tennessee, No. 12 Baylor, No. 14 Oklahoma State and No. 14 South Carolina earlier this season with the Lions' only losses coming to No. 3 Florida and No. 5 Michigan---rankings at the time of competition.

Coach Matt Brothers' team got off to a roaring start taking a 1-0 lead after securing the doubles point.

It began with Fran and Vito Tonejc taking down Jackie Tang and Tony Saluja 6-1 at No. 3 doubles. Columbia responded by winning at No. 2, leaving the first point in the hands of DePaul's No. 1 tandem Boris Spanjaard and Christopher Casati.

The pair of seniors came through in the clutch with a hard-fought 7-6 victory over Adam Ambrozy and Rian Pandole.

That Columbia swept the singles matches doesn't come close to telling the whole story. DePaul (5-9) dropped straight-set matches at No. 1, No. 3 and No. 5 singles. Vito Tonejc came up short at No. 1 against No. 88-ranked Jackie Tang.

But the other three singles encounters were pretty much anyone's ball game.

Luuk Wassenaar won the first set at No. 4 by a 6-4 margin and lost 6-1 in the second set. The clincher went to the Lions' No. 116 Alex Kotzen 6-4.

Both Boris Spanjaard at No. 2 singles and Fran Tonejc at No. 6 were tied late in their third sets and had match points. Spanjaard topped Adam Ambrozy 6-3 in the opening set before losing 6-2. It was a dramatic 6-6 in the deciding set when Ambrozy squeaked out a 7-6 decision.

Likewise, Fran Tonejc got off to a fast start with a 6-4 result and dropped the second set 6-3. It was tied 5-5 before Jason Lui prevailed 7-5.

The Blue Demons are back on their home court Saturday to take on Illinois State in a 4:15 p.m. match at Lakeshore Sport & Fitness.

No. 7 Columbia 6, DePaul 1
Evanston, Ill.
Feb. 28, 2020
Singles
1. Jackie Tang def. Vito Tonejc 6-1, 6-2
2. Adam Ambrozy def. Boris Spanjaard 3-6, 6-2, 7-6
3. Rian Pandole def. Chris Casati 6-3, 6-0
4. Alex Kotzen def. Luuk Wassenaar 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
5. Austen Huang def. Tripp Tuff 6-4, 6-2
6. Jason Lui def. Fran Tonejc 4-6, 6-3, 7-5

Doubles
1. Casati/Spanjaard def. Ambrozy/Pandole 7-6
2. Lui/Kotzen def. Tuff/Wassenaar 6-4
3. Fran Tonejc/Vito Tonejc def. Tang/Saluja 6-1

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Players Mentioned

Christopher Casati

Boris Spanjaard

Fran Tonejc

Vito Tonejc

Tripp Tuff

Luuk Wassenaar