(Oglesby, IL) - After not having played in nearly two years, the Waubonsee Community College Men's Tennis team finally was able to step onto a court and compete against an opponent. The Chiefs, under the direction of new head coach Warren Harris, fell 7-2 on the road against Illinois Valley Community College on Sunday, March 21. The Chiefs officially last competed on April 26, 2019 when they played in the Region IV Tournament. Harris was then hired in early 2020 to take over the program, but the season was cancelled before it ever began due to the coronavirus pandemic. After a long and sometimes unsettling year, the Chiefs opened the 2021 season with a hard fought battle versus the Eagles, with four of the six matches played going to tie breakers.
Waubonsee's Bennet Piotrowski got things off to a good start by rallying to win his number one singles match against Justin Ainsley 0-6, 7-6 and 10-7 in the tie breaker. His brother Greyson Piotrowski also rallied in his number two singles match versus Josh Pioch. After dropping the first set 0-6, he took the second set 6-2 before falling just short in the tie breaker 9-11. The Eagles' Logan Olszewski topped Leo Barzi 2-6, 3-6 at number three singles, while Briggs Kremski's number four singles match against Derek Wilkinson also went to a third set. Unfortunately, Wilkinson prevailed 1-6, 6-4 and 5-10 in the tie breaker. The Piotrowski brothers were then victorious at number one doubles as they dispatched of the tandem of Wilkinson and Aaron Bradner 6-1 and 6-1. The duo of Barzi and Kremski lost at number two doubles in three sets, falling 6-4, 2-6 and 3-10 in the tie breaker to the Eagles' pairing of Pioch and Alex Newman. The short-handed Chiefs defaulted the five and six singles matches, and the number three doubles match.
The Chiefs are in action again on Tuesday, March 30 when they host Sauk Valley Community College beginning at 2:45 p.m. at the Washington Park Tennis Courts on the far west side of Aurora. Fans are allowed at the event as long as they adhere to social distancing protocols.