At the start of every season, the John Carroll’s Men’s Tennis team challenges themselves with some of the best competition in Ohio. Fri., Feb. 17 was no different as they took on the No. 2 team in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Tennis: the Case Western Reserve Spartans. 

The Blue Streaks dropped the match to the Spartans 9-0, but all was not bad for the tennis squad. 

Anthony Marklello ‘26, who has shown real promise thus far, and Kevin Wacnik ‘25 teamed up at the No. 2 doubles spot and put up a great fight against the powerful Spartan squad. Despite a great challenge, the duo lost the match 8-2. 

Markello left it all out there in the No. 2 singles match, stealing two sets in the first match before his opponent roared back to a 6-2, 6-0 win. 

The loss drops the Blue Streaks record to 0-4 in the early stages of the season, but John Carroll will be back on the court in early March as they travel down to Florida. 

“We had amazing competition this weekend,” said Luis Wentz ‘25. “I am extremely excited for the future of the team this season.”