Union College Dominates at Garnet Charger Invitational

The Union College tennis team showcased their prowess at the annual Garnet Charger Invitational, held over the weekend at the Union Tennis Courts. The Dutchmen emerged victorious in five of the seven brackets, including the top-three singles flights and both doubles events.

Seniors Lead the Charge for Union College

Schunk Secures "A" Singles Title in Dramatic Fashion

Senior Ben Jacobs and Ian Schunk were the standout performers for Union College, each winning a pair of titles. Schunk's victory in the "A" Singles final was particularly impressive, as he rallied from a 2-5 deficit in the first set to eventually claim a hard-fought 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 win over St. Lawrence's Broderick Pinto. Schunk saved a set point while serving at 5-6 in the opening set before prevailing in the tiebreaker. The senior's triumph marked his first singles title at the annual event, having previously reached the "C" Singles final as a first-year.

Jacobs Battles to "B" Singles Crown

In the "B" Singles final, Jacobs faced off against his first-year teammate Vivaan Gupta. After Gupta took the opening set 6-4, Jacobs stormed back to level the match with a 6-1 second-set victory, forcing a decisive supertiebreaker. The senior ultimately outlasted the first-year, winning the supertiebreaker 10-7 to claim his first singles title at the Garnet Charger Invitational. Jacobs had previously reached the "B" Singles final in his debut season.

Bellemare Secures "C" Singles Title

The Garnet Chargers were guaranteed a winner in the "C" Singles final, as Union teammates Solen Bellemare and Shreyas Kode squared off. Bellemare emerged victorious in a close 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 match, earning his first singles title at the event.

Doubles Dominance for Union

The Dutchmen's success extended to the doubles events as well. Jacobs and first-year Jesus Sosa teamed up to defend their "A" Doubles title from the previous year, defeating opponents from St. Lawrence University and Drew University en route to the championship. Schunk and first-year Vivaan Gupta also claimed the "B" Doubles title, overcoming the St. Lawrence duo of Mo and Sebastian Boada 8-1 in the final.

Promising Performances from Underclassmen

While the seniors led the way, Union's underclassmen also made their mark at the Garnet Charger Invitational. First-year David Wang came close to winning the "D" Singles bracket, falling in a close 4-6, 6-1, (10-7) match to St. Lawrence's Ryan Tingley. Additionally, Union junior Christian Crowder reached the semifinals of the "E" Singles event before narrowly falling to St. Lawrence's Charles Schepens.

Looking Ahead to the Final Dual Match of the Fall Season

The Union College tennis team will look to carry their momentum from the Garnet Charger Invitational into their final dual match of the fall season, scheduled for Saturday against Farmingdale State College. The Dutchmen will aim to end the fall campaign on a high note as they prepare for the upcoming spring season.