Just as the Bearcat men’s basketball team did to open their season, the Northwest Missouri State men’s tennis team knocked off the same Division I opponent, UMKC on Thursday, 5-2 at the Plaza Tennis Center.

Northwest saw its record improve to 14-3 on the year after the squads sat through a rain delay the preempted singles play. The win also extends the Bearcats current winning streak to six games as they return to action next week with matches against tough region foe Ouachita Baptist and MIAA rival Southwest Baptist.

With the Bearcats take the double point from the Kangaroos, the delay did not hinder Northwest in the slightest. Getting a huge win at No. 1 singles from Mario Jakovljevic, who played at the No. 1 position for the first time this season, took down Grant Fleming 7-6 (8-6), 6-4.

UMKC would fight back to tie the match taking No. 2 and No. 3 singles, but it would the Bearcats who had the final say.

Northwest got wins from Luis Altimires at No. 4 singles 6-4, 6-4, while Jason Harris won at No. 5 singles of the exact same score.

Jose Ortega closed out the final points for the Bearcats with a 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 10-5 over David Heckler in No. 5 singles, giving Northwest the win.

— NWMSU Sports Information —