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Messiah Opens 2009 Campaign With Southern Swing
Sophomore Jansen Hein paced Messiah's effort over spring break, going 4-2 in both the top singles and doubles positions.

Hilton Head, SC — The Messiah men’s tennis team opened its 2009 season with a week-long, six-match odyssey in Hilton Head, South Carolina this week — traveling south during the institution’s spring break recess.

The squad as only able to grab one team victory in its six attempts, defeating Greenville College by a narrow 5-4 decision Sunday night. Losses to the University of Scranton (0-9), the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (2-7), Wooster College (0-9), St. Norbert College (2-7) and Concordia University (3-6) followed, as the Falcons dealt with injury and illness during the six-day stretch.

Sunday’s win over the Panthers turned out to be the week’s highlight, as Messiah (1-5) leaned heavily on the play of its first-year athletes to capture the season-opening victory. After falling behind by a 2-1 score in doubles play, the Falcons stormed back to take four of the six singles flights — finishing the match in dramatic fashion.

After sophomore Jansen Hein raced off to a 6-3, 6-3 win over Greenville’s Joe Newlin in the top singles slot, junior Luke Ruch was forced to retire in the number three singles position due to an ankle injury. Senior Sam Shorts was able to outlast the Panthers’ Taylor Dunnington in a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 marathon at the number three singles event, tying the team score at 3-3 with three singles matches still being played — all by Messiah freshmen.

Freshman Mike Elliott struggled through a three-set loss at the number four slot, while classmate Adam Sheir was able to hand Greenville’s Josh Bales a 6-2, 7-5 defeat at the number six position.

That left the fate of the overall match to freshman Andrew Wismer.

Wismer was locked in an epic battle with Greenville’s Brent Wiedman, going shot for shot with the Panthers’ big, strong sophomore. Wismer’s consistent style clashed against the powerful forehand of Wiedman — and after exchanging 7-5 sets, little had been decided. With daylight becoming an issue, the match moved into a super 10-point tiebreaker in the third and final set. Wismer was able to come out strong and tire out Wiedman, eventually winning the set 10-7 and pushing Messiah to the team win overall.

Perhaps no such drama would have been needed had the Falcons’ two and three doubles tandems held on to early leads, as Ruch and Elliott had a 4-1 advantage in the number two flight before falling 8-5, while Wismer and Sheir raced out to a 7-4 lead before falling in extra points, 9-7.

Following Monday’s win, it was Hein that paced the team in the remaining five matches, going 4-2 for the week at the top singles position while posting the same record at number one doubles with Shorts. Only the University of Scranton’s Scott Melideo and Wooster’s Pat Grab were able to knock off last year’s MAC Commonwealth Rookie of the Year in singles play, taking 6-3, 6-3 and 6-4, 7-6 decisions, respectively.

Perhaps Hein’s best performance of the week came in a 6-7, 6-4, 10-5 Tuesday win over Wisconsin Eau-Claire’s Steve Lantz, as Hein played what he described as “probably the strongest tennis of my collegiate career.”

Hein teamed with Shorts for Messiah’s only other point in the Tuesday match, while injuries and illness forced several forfeits in Monday’s 0-9 loss to Scranton. Ruch could not play due to the ankle injury he suffered Sunday against Greenville, while Elliott was out with a 24-hour bug.

That left only four singles slots filled and two doubles positions occupied — putting Messiah well behind the proverbial eight ball before the match even began.

Both Ruch and Elliott returned for Tuesday’s Wisconsin-Eau Claire match, but neither were up to 100 percent. Ruch dropped a 6-0. 6-1 decision to the Blugolds’ Kevin Fawcett at number three singles, while teaming with Elliott in an 8-5 defeat at the number two doubles slot.

Following a Wednesday blanking against Wooster, Hein and Shorts paced a 2-7 defeat to St. Norbert Thursday — with Hein winning the top singles position while teaming with Shorts for an 8-5 victory at the top doubles slot.

Wismer picked up his second singles win of the week against Concordia Friday, defeating the Falcons’ Thao Lor by a 6-2, 7-5 count. Hein (6-1, 6-1) captured Messiah’s other point at number one singles, while the combination of Hein and Shorts were again deadly at the top doubles spot, winning 8-2.

“The freshman are moving into their positions well with time and the senior leadership in Sam looks to be a winning combination for us,” Hein said. “We look to strengthen the team from the top down as our season progresses. I think the young guys continue to become more comfortable on the court and their increase in experience is vital come conference play starting in a few weeks.”

Messiah will next open up its home schedule, hosting Penn State University-Harrisburg next Wednesday. Match time is slated to begin at 3:30 p.m.