The No. 8 Washington University men’s tennis team took care of business against Division II University of Missouri-St. Louis Wednesday, defeating the Tritons, 5-2, and moving to 12-4 on the season. Senior Konrad Kozlowski contributed two key victories to join the Red and Green 100-win club.

Fittingly, one of Kozlowski’s two victories was alongside junior Bernardo Neves, who himself moved to 125 career wins, in a convincing 6-3 affair over UMSL’s top doubles pair. Kozlowski, the 2018 NCAA All-American and All-UAA doubles player, has been an NCAA individual qualifier each of the last two years in doubles. Adding a 7-6, 6-4 singles victory—his ninth straight—for good measure, Kozlowski’s career record now stands at 75-42 in doubles to go along with 26-10 in singles.

Grace Bruton | Student Life

Junior Bernardo Neves hits an approach shot against a University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire doubles team April 5. The No. 8 Washington University men’s tennis team defeated University of Missouri-St. Louis Wednesday 5-2, improving their record to 12-4.

If his first year on the team is any indication, sophomore transfer Ethan Hillis may one day join Kozlowski and Neves in Wash. U.’s inner circle. The No. 6-ranked individual in the nation, Hillis defeated the top Triton, Ben-Hur Kasprzak, in a back-and-forth contest, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Kasprzak and Hillis also competed in a doubles match with Kasprzak and the Tritons winning that one, 6-4.

The fourth singles spot in particular remained a bright one for the Bears, as they moved to 14-2 as a team there this season. Sophomore Benjamin van der Sman completed the victory in a tight three-setter, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

The five-match winning streak and culmination against a DII opponent act as a strong lead-in to a serious part of Wash. U.’s schedule. This weekend, the Bears travel to Illinois, where they will face No. 14 Case Western Reserve University and No. 1 University of Chicago before hosting Principia College the next day in St. Louis.

The women’s team was also in action this week—it took its turn against Principia Tuesday at the Tao Tennis Center. For the No. 16 Bears, who have had a rocky 7-9 season to date, it was smooth sailing to an 8-1 victory.

Senior Lisa Chionis returns a serve against Principia College opponents Tuesday. The women’s tennis team swept doubles against Principia and defeated the Panthers 8-1 at Tao Tennis Center.

For the Red and Green, the only signs of trouble all day came at the top, both in doubles and singles. In doubles, senior Lisa Chionis and junior Sanjna Tripathy lost four games, but still remained in control of the match, ultimately closing it out 8-4. That victory ensured the Bears would have a chance to sweep doubles for only the second time all year—and after relaxing 8-1 and 8-0 wins, they did.

Though Principia’s No. 1 singles was too much to handle, the rest of the Bears had no trouble at all. Two through six, the Red and Green combined to win 60 of 61 games—including freshman Hannah Johnston’s and sophomore Carina Greenberg’s first college wins, 6-0, 6-0 apiece.

This weekend, the women also take on Case and Chicago, No. 31 and No. 9 respectively, before taking their shot at UMSL Wednesday at home.