The Bellarmine men's tennis team finished out their busy spring break schedule by beating the Midwest region's No. 6-ranked team Grand Valley State 5-4 at the the Oak Street Park Tennis Complex in Kissimmee, Fla.

The number one doubles team of Anton Rabinov and Igal Mostkov collected a convincing 8-3 win to get the Knights rolling.  At No. 2 doubles sophomore Jimmy Fernendez filled in for Carlos Antonioli, and he and Jacob Knagenhjelm won an exciting 8-6 match which secured the Knights' second point.  "Jimmy came up big time for us tonight," said Bellarmine Coach John Mican.

In singles, Knagenhjelm--playing in his 12th match of the week--won at number two when his opponent had to retire after an injury with Jacob up 6-1, 2-0.  At No. 6 singles, Alan Gardiner lost the first set 6-1, and Mican nearly stepped in to stop the match due to Gardiner's back pain.  "I was literally two second away from defaulting the match," Mican said, when Alan asked if it would be alright if he tried serving under handed so as not to put any stress on his back." Mican agreed, and Gardiner came back to win the second and third sets 6-2, 6-0 to secure the Knights fourth point. 

Anton Rabinov clinched the match with an arduous 6-1, 6-4 win at number one singles giving the Knights their fifth point and the match.   "It was a great way to end the trip" as the Knights get ready for the upcoming  GLVC conference matches," Mican said.  "We have been tested and without question we are ready."

In earlier action on spring break, the Knights dropped tight 5-4 decisions to Montana State-Billings and Ohio Dominican.  Bellarmine opened spring break with an 8-1 victory over Warburg College and falling 6-3 to Coe.

BU-GVSU Box Score

BU-MSU Box Score

BU-ODU Box Score