By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Visiting Sturgis handed the Niles varsity tennis team a 5-3 loss Tuesday evening in the Vikes' season opener on its home court.
The Trojans dominated the singles matches and won one doubles match.
At No. 1 singles, Niles' Danny Rodts fell to Isaac Miller in three sets, losing the first 6-3 and the third 6-0. Rodts won the second match, 6-4.
Julian Freas suffered a 6-3, 6-1 loss at No. 2 singles to Erik Neiser. At No. 3 singles, Josef Miller defeated Nate Fink in three sets. Fink won the first match 6-2, but fell in the second 7-5 and the third, 6-1. Jonathan Smith fell to Jon Wonders at No. 4 singles, 6-4, 6-2.
At No. 1 doubles, Jordan Parks and Zak Herrmann fell to Alex Carter and Ben Sanford, 6-1, 6-4. Niles won at No. 2 doubles as Tad Raven and Zach Payne took a 6-1 win in the first set and 7-6 win in the third set. The Vikes fell in the second set to Trevor Penn amd Joel Echorn, 6-4. Scott Bailey and Julius Roessner picked up 6-3, 6-3 wins over Mike White and Andrew Bush at No. 3 doubles and Jon Rothfuchs and Kyle Lee grabbed 6-2, 6-1 wins at No. 4 doubles against Kevin Penn and Rob McMahon.
The Niles junior varsity tennis team fell to Sturgis, 6-2.
Niles will host St. Joseph on Wednesday, April 11 at 4:30 p.m.