Northwestern Drops Denver, 5-2

Jan. 18, 2003

EVANSTON, Ill. - Despite an early 1-0 deficit after dropping the doubles point, Northwestern responded with five singles wins to overpower Denver, 5-2, Saturday at Combe Tennis Center. With the win, NU improved to 1-0 on the season, while DU fell to 0-2.

Jackie Jenkins (College Park, Ga./Westlake) and Chuck Perrin (Atlanta, Ga./The Walker School) hit on all cylinders. The two paired up at the No. 2 doubles spot and knocked off the Pioneers' Viktor Zetterholm and Hans Peter Gabe, 8-2. Jenkins later faced Zetterholm in singles and clinched the match for the 'Cats with a 7-5, 6-3 win.

Perrin fell behind to Gaber, dropping the first set of their singles match, 6-4. But the sophomore responded, taking the last two sets 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3).

Tommy Hanus (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) cruised to a 6-2, 6-4 win at the No. 1 singles spot, improving his season record to 10-7. Josh Axler (Huntington, N.Y./Walt Whitman) and Ahmed Wahla (Lahore, Pakistan/Lahore American School) also picked up straight-set wins for the Wildcats. Axler won 6-3, 6-2 and Wahla won 6-2, 6-0.

Northwestern is back in action Sunday at 3 p.m. with another home match against Northern Illinois (1-0). The Huskies defeated the Pioneers, 4-3, Friday at Combe Tennis Center.

Northwestern 5, Denver 2

Doubles
1. Urban Ljubic/Nejc Smole (DU) def. Josh Axler/Adam Schaechterle (NU), 8-6
2. Jackie Jenkins/Chuck Perrin (NU) def. Viktor Zetterholm/Hans Peter Gaber (DU), 8-2
3. Colin Day/Jason Tan (DU) def. Tommy Hanus/Justin Hoeveler (NU), 8-4

Singles
1. Hanus (NU) def. Ljubic (DU), 6-2, 6-4
2. Jenkins (NU) def. Zetterholm (DU), 7-5, 6-3
3. Axler (NU) def. Smole (DU), 6-3, 6-2
4. Perrin (NU) def. Gaber (DU), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3)
5. Tan (DU) def. Schaechterle (NU), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
6. Ahmed Wahla (NU) def. Day (DU), 6-2, 6-0