BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Elmhurst men's tennis team overcame an early deficit to topple Illinois Wesleyan 5-2 and advance to the semifinals of the CCIW Championships.
 

Elmhurst fell into an early 2-1 hole after dropping two of the three doubles contests to fourth-seeded Illinois Wesleyan. The Titans' George Alex and Martijn van Dooren edged Chris Harrison and Luke Tanaka 8-6 at No. 1 doubles. Calen Crimm and Kurt Meyer scored an 8-5 win at No. 2 doubles to account for the Titans' second win. Elmhurst, seeded fourth, got on the scoreboard at No. 3 doubles when Quinn Jennings and Alex Abbuhl defeated Kevin Piotrowski and Kyle Hyland 8-3.

Elmhurst turned the table on the Titans in singles play, winning all four matches that were completed to score the 5-2 team victory. Harrison avenged an earlier loss to George at No. 1 singles with a 6-3, 6-1 victory. Jennings dispatched van Dooren 6-4, 6-2 at No. 2 singles and Tanaka followed with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Crim at No. 6 singles. Abbuhl defeated Piotrowski 6-4, 6-2 at No. 5 singles for the Bluejays' final point.

Two matches were unfinished and locked in three-set battles. Kulma and Meyers were even at a set a piece at No. 4 singles with Kulma leading the third set tiebreaker when the match was halted. Franco and Hyland were even at a set apiece at No. 6 singles when the Bluejays clinched the team victory.

With the victory, Elmhurst moved into the semifinals of the CCIW Championships and will face top-seeded Carthage College tomorrow, May 1, at 1:00 p.m.