GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Lawrence Tech's Blue Devils tennis program dropped both the men's and women's duals at Davenport University on Friday in Grand Rapids, Mich., with the Panthers earning 7-0 sweeps on both sides. Despite the overall team results, the Blue Devils turned in several competitive efforts, highlighted by a tight men's doubles match and productive singles outings on both the men's and women's courts.
On the men's side, Davenport claimed the doubles point with a 3-0 sweep, but Lawrence Tech's pairing of Alessandro Gatto and T. Brusell pushed their match deep before falling 7-5. The duo stayed within a game for most of the set, trading holds and applying pressure late before Davenport secured the decisive break. The narrow result stood out as the most competitive doubles contest of the day for the Blue Devils.
In singles, Davenport completed the 7-0 team win by taking all six courts, yet Lawrence Tech continued to compete throughout the lineup. Gatto carried his strong doubles form into singles, putting together one of the team's top individual performances by totaling nine games won across two sets. His consistency from the baseline and ability to extend rallies allowed him to stay within reach in both sets before the Panthers ultimately closed out the match.
Fellow men's player Cael Guttrie added another bright spot for the Blue Devils with eight games won over two sets in his singles match. Guttrie challenged Davenport with aggressive returns and sustained service games, forcing several deuce points and keeping both sets competitive. While the Panthers swept the six men's singles courts, the performances by Gatto and Guttrie underscored the depth and potential within Lawrence Tech's lineup.
On the women's side, Davenport similarly secured a 7-0 victory, taking all three doubles courts and six singles matches. Lawrence Tech's women were unable to break through in the doubles session, but the team responded by settling into longer rallies once singles began, looking to extend points and create pressure in baseline exchanges.
In women's singles, Jakie Alcocer delivered the standout effort for the Blue Devils, winning five games over two sets against her Davenport opponent. Alcocer's ability to adjust mid-match and find rhythm on her serve helped her stay competitive in both sets, reflecting the resilience of the women's squad even as the overall dual tilted in Davenport's favor. Across the lineup, the Blue Devils continued to battle on each court, turning several games into long, contested sequences.
With both the men's and women's teams dropping 7-0 decisions—0-3 in doubles and 0-6 in singles on each side—the trip to Grand Rapids served as an early-season measuring stick for Lawrence Tech. The close men's doubles result and the productive singles outings by Gatto, Guttrie and Alcocer provide building blocks as the Blue Devils look ahead to the remainder of their schedule and opportunities to convert competitive sets into match wins.
