BABSON PARK, Fla. – The Webber International University men's tennis team has seen a lot of action in a very short time. But, that is life when it comes to Webber Tennis. First year coach Robert Hollis made a challenging schedule for the WIU netters this season and it all started with three consecutive matches, on three consecutive days, against NCAA-I opponents.
 
Last Friday the Warriors opened their season at beautiful Lake Eva Park in Haines City, Florida. The opponent was University of Connecticut, better known in the sports world as UCONN. The Warriors battled hard but fell to UCONN 4-3. The singles were played first and the match was even at 3-3 after completion. The match was played per NCAA-I rules with doubles counting as one point. In order to get that point you must win two of the three doubles. Unfortunately, only Webber's #1 team of Valentin Bayh and Jonathan Cohen won their match, 8-6. Winning in singles for Webber was: #2 Jonathan Cohen, 6-2, 6-2; #5 Omar Quesada, 6-3, 6-4; and #6 Santiago Martinez, 6-4, 6-2.
 
On Saturday the Warriors ventured to Daytona Beach and played Bethune-Cookman University. The Warriors lost 6-1, with Jonathan Cohen winning the lone point at #2 singles, 2-6, 6-2, 6-1. Valentine Bahy and Jonathan Cohen won again at #1 doubles, 8-5, but Bethune-Cookman University took the doubles point.
 
On Sunday, in Daytona Beach, the Warriors again had to face their third NCAA-I opponent in three days. When the match started the temperature was 36 degrees. Hampton University (VA) jumped out to a 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point. Webber did win at #3 doubles with Firmiano Filho and Hugo Cedeno at 8-1. The WIU men went to work in the singles taking five of the six matches to score a 5-2 win, improving to 1-2 on the young season. Coach Robert Hollis got his first intercollegiate win as head coach. Winning in singles for Webber were: #2 Jonathan Cohen, 7-5, 6-1; #3 Alwin Leysner, 6-1, 7-5; #4 Nickolay Kodinov, 6-3, 6-2; #5 Hugo Cedeno, 6-1, 6-2; and #6 Omar Quesada, 1-6, 6-2, 7-6(1).
 
Next up for the Warriors is their first match in The Sun Conference for 2013. Webber will play Southeaster University at 12 noon at the Lakeland City Courts on Wednesday, February 20^th.