LAKELAND, FLA.— The Central College men's tennis team opened up its spring break matches with a 6-1 defeat to Calvin College (Mich.).
           
"We started slow during the doubles matches but that is common for the first match outside," said coach Ryun Ferrell. "Calvin is a good team and won its league last year. Once we got adapted to playing outside, we started to play better."
           
The Dutch (2-6) were swept in the doubles matches with No. 1 and No. 2 doubles each losing 6-4.
           
The lone match win came from Jack Briggs (freshman, Pella) with a 7-6 (7-5) 3-6, 10-6 at No. 3 singles. In his first-collegiate singles match Benny Ramker (freshman, Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS) also got to a third set but ended up losing the match 3-6, 6-2, 10-6.
           
"Jack and Benny both played well, and it is nice to see the youth of our program step up and show promise," Ferrell said.
           
The squad will play two more matches Wednesday starting with Covenant College (Ga.) at 8 a.m. EST followed by the College of St. Scholastica (Minn.) at 1 p.m. EST. These matches will be in Orlando, Florida at the USTA National Campus.