GOSHEN, Ind. — As a rule, tennis players like bagels: the circular dough form with a hole in the middle connotes a 6-0 set win. Extending the comparison, a "double bagel" refers to a 6-0, 6-0 score, the biggest margin by which one can win a two-set match.
The Goshen College men's tennis team won three singles matches by that 6-0, 6-0 score Tuesday night, but the more significant bagels weren't found in the score as head coach Stan King earned his 100th career win with a 9-0 victory over Concordia University at the Goshen College Tennis Complex.
Goshen swept the three doubles matches by identical 8-0 scores. Kartikeya Sharma, Hans Miller and Rowan Miller all prevailed by the more conventional double-bagel score in singles play as the Maple Leafs sent Concordia home with a loss in the Cardinals' first-ever intercollegiate tennis match.
"It's nice to have a match that's not as pressure-packed now and again," said King. "We were able to take this as an opportunity to play some people we don't usually get to use, and they all did well."
Miller and Miller each made their varsity debuts in the match: Hans Miller started his career 2-0, pairing with Aritha Weerasinghe to win at no. 2 doubles. Zach Ganger played no. 5 singles and no. 3 doubles, teaming with Luis Perez. Goshen rounded out its lineup with usual varsity contributors Eric Cender and Eric Zuercher alongside Siddath Ratnatunga.
With the victory, King joined Roman Gingerich as the only Maple Leaf tennis coaches to reach 100 career victories. A longtime professor and coach, Gingerich won 104 matches against 43 losses between 1957 and 1975. King is 100-101 in 17 seasons.
The Maple Leafs raise their record to 6-1 on the season, holding at 5-1 in Crossroads League play in the non-conference match. Goshen returns to action in its penultimate CL match on Wednesday at Taylor University, with first serve set for 4 p.m.
Full Results: Goshen 9, Concordia 0
Singles:
1. Kartikeya Sharma (G) def. Andrew Koerkel 6-0, 6-0
2. Eric Cender (G) def. Joel Werner 6-1, 6-1
3. Siddath Ratnatunga (G) def. Nate Louisignau 6-1, 6-1
4. Hans Miller (G) def. Ken Simon 6-0, 6-0
5. Zach Ganger (G) def. Lukas Mueller 6-0, 6-1
6. Rowan Miller (G) def. Ty Smith 6-0, 6-0
Doubles:
1. Eric Zuercher/Cender (G) def. Koerkel/Werner 8-0
2. Aritha Weerasinghe/H. Miller (G) def. Louisignau/Simon 8-0
3. Luis Perez/Ganger (G) def. Mueller/Smith 8-0
