Thursday, 02/12/2009

After four days of training at the Kiahuna Tennis Club in the Poipu Beach region of Kauai, the tennis team traveled to Oahu for matches against Brigham Young University-Hawaii and Hawaii Pacific University. Both are highly ranked Division II teams that are dominated by international players.

The match against Brigham Young-Hawaii on February 6 was closer than the final 7-2 score indicated. The Gusties led in two out of three doubles and four out of six singles matches. However, Brigham Young-Hawaii rallied to claim two of the doubles and five of the singles matches.

The Gusties lost to Hawaii Pacific University by an 8-1 score. The highlight was a convincing 8-4 victory at #2 doubles by Charlie Paukert and Ben Tomasek. But an injury to Ben sidelined him for the singles and another injury to Kevin Stickney took him out of both singles and doubles. Both players hope to be ready for the National Indoor on the weekend of February 21.

The Gusties returned home from Hawaii on February 8 after visiting Pearl Harbor and Haunama Bay. Part of the varsity team hosts Minnesota State-Mankato on Saturday, February 14 at 1:30 p.m. in the Swanson Center on the Gustavus campus. Other varsity players travel to Gold's Gym in St. Cloud on Saturday for a match against St. Cloud State at 10 a.m. and then on to Courts Plus Racket Club in Fargo for a conference match against Concordia at 6 p.m.


BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY 7 GUSTAVUS 2 Laie, HI, February 6, 2009
1) Rong Ma/Agnel Peter (BYU-H) def. John Kauss/Mike Burdakin (GA) 8-1
2) Manu Bajpai/Carleton Taylor (BYU-H) def. Charlie Paukert/Ben Tomasek (GA) 9-7
3) Kevin Stickney/Nick Hansen (GA) def. Romeo Juhasz/Brian Baker (BYU-H) 8-4

1) Rong Ma (BYU-H) def. John Kauss (GA) 6-1, 6-2
2) Agnel Peter (BYU-H) def. Charlie Paukert (GA)6-0, 6-2
3) Manu Bajpai (BYU-H) def. Mike Burdakin (GA) 1-6, 6-2, 6-3
4) Carleton Taylor (BYU-H) def. Kevin Stickney (GA) 7-5, 6-2
5. Romeo Juhasz (BYU-H) def. Pat Clark (GA) 7-6(5) 7-5
6. Pete Wright (GA) def. Brian Baker (BYU-H) 6-1, 6-1

HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY 8 GUSTAVUS 1 Honolulu, HI, February 7, 2009
1) Nikola Petrov/Daniel Luedi (HPU) def. John Kauss/Mike Burdakin(GA)8-6
2) Ben Tomasek/Charlie Paukert (GA) def. Hendrik Bode/Sebastian Boder(HPU) 8-4
3) Aleksandor Markov/Anton Samuilau(HPU) def. Eric Ice/Nick Hansen (GA) 8-2

1) Hendrik Bode (HPU) def. John Kauss (GA) 6-1, 6-0
2) Daniel Luedi(HPU) def. Charlie Paukert (GA) 7-5, 6-1
3) Sebastian Boder (HPU) def. Mike Burdakin (GA) 7-5, 6-3
4) Nikola Petrov (HPU) def. Pat Clark (GA) 6-2, 6-2
5) Jan Hroch (HPU) def. Pete Wright (GA) 6-0, 6-3
6) Aleksandor Markov (HPU) def. Dave Koppel (GA) 6-4, 6-3