PELLA— In its first home action of 2025, the Central College men's tennis team split their squad in half and played two matches.
           
The first squad defeated Northwestern College 4-3.
           
The Dutch (1-3) secured the doubles point with Ayden Fletcher (senior, Waukee) and AJ Wilkins (senior, Grinnell) won 6-3 at No. 1 doubles and Jack Briggs (freshman, Pella) and Benny Ramker (freshman, Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS) won 6-1 at No. 3 doubles.
           
"Our No. 1 doubles team is showing they are a force to be reckoned with. Willing at No. 1 doubles is huge toward winning the doubles point," said coach Ryun Ferrell. "No. 3 doubles is our team of freshmen. They are tough and don't let up. They went to a lot of deuce games and won all of them."
           
Fletcher added a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 1 singles. Two Dutch players came back after losing the first set, to win in third-set tiebreaks. Wilkins won 4-6, 6-1, 10-12 at No. 2 singles, and Briggs came away with a 4-6, 7-5, 10-7 win at No. 3 singles.
           
"Fletcher can adapt and do anything he needs to win. He can play any style and that makes him dangerous. He also understands the game so well which makes him tough," Ferrell said. "It was different to win the top three singles matches but for the second competition of the season we looked tough. We will continue to improve as the semester goes on and I am excited to see it."
           
Another squad fell in a non-conference matchup against Coe College 7-0.
           
Despite not winning a match Gavin Jablonski (sophomore, Marshalltown) made it to a tiebreak in the first set before losing 7-5.
           
The Dutch return to the court when they host exhibition matches against Maharishi University Saturday. Quincy University and Concordia University (Neb.) come to the H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse February 22 to return to regular matches.