The Oberlin men’s tennis team was 6-0 going into last weekend when they faced their most challenging opponent in the young season. Walsh University invaded the Heisman Field House, ranked 24 overall in the NAIA preseason poll.

“Heading into the match, we knew this was going to be our toughest test of the season thus far,” junior Nick Ogren said. “This team just absolutely destroyed us the last two years.”

When the updated rankings come out next week, it can be assured that they will drop out of the top 25 after receiving a thrashing by the Yeomen.

The Yeomen were able to avenge the previous two seasons as they moved to 7-0 overall this season, 2-0 in conference competition. They defeated Walsh 5-2; four points were attributed to victories in singles matches.

Senior Jamie Frankel took down Walsh’s best player, first-year Lanny Rubin, in the number one slot, 6-4, 6-4. After the match, Frankel was very pleased with the victory.

“I am glad we won because they walked into our house thinking that they were going to walk all over us and we showed them wrong,” he said.

In a battle of returning all-conference players, senior Marian Bocek defeated Walsh senior Dan Schuler in three sets, 6-2, 6-7, 6-4.

Junior Mark Knee lost the only singles match for the Yeomen in the number three slot, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6.

Sophomore James Rosenhiem, first-year Arthur Zeyda and sophomore David Cotter cleaned up in the fourth through sixth singles positions. Rosenhiem and Zeyda both won in convincing fashion, 6-4, 6-0 and 6-3, 6-2, respectively.

Cotter’s match was extended to three sets but he still won, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

“Dave [Cotter] and Marian [Bocek] deserve a lot of credit for pulling out two incredibly close matches in singles,” Ogren said.

Those two matches proved their importance as the Yeomen lost two out of the three doubles matches.

Frankel and Cotter teamed up to form the number one doubles pair, but lost 8-4. The number two doubles pair, Ogren and Knee, also lost, 8-3.

Rosenhiem and Zeyda figured into the only doubles victory, winning 8-6.

This match was a good test at such an early point in the season.

“We proved again that we are one of the best teams in our conference, aspiring to make Oberlin a nationally recognized school not only in the academic, but also in the tennis, realm,” Bocek said.

Even after such an impressive win, Frankel still has expectations that the team will improve.

“Everyone started to play a little bit better than in previous matches,” he said. “I think there is another level that this team can take their play to.”

Frankel and the rest of the Yeomen will have an opportunity to elevate their play to an even higher level Friday, March 19 at 3 p.m. in the Heisman Fieldhouse against Carnegie Mellon University.