Thursday, February 12
Omaha, Neb.
11:00 a.m.
Creighton University
4
vs
2
Nebraska-Kearney
Men’s Tennis Downs Nebraska-Kearney and Pratt CC in Thursday Doubleheader
2/12/2026 6:48:00 PM | Men's Tennis
OMAHA, Neb. – The Creighton men's tennis team picked up a pair of wins on Thursday, defeating Nebraska-Kearney, 4-2, and Pratt Community College, 4-1, at the Hanscom Tennis Center.
The Bluejays improved to 6-3 on the year with the wins, while the Lopers fell to 3-1 and the Beavers dropped to 3-2 overall.
Match 1: Creighton 4, Nebraska-Kearney 2
The Bluejays dropped the doubles point in the first match of the day, heading into singles with a 1-0 disadvantage. UNK picked up wins at the No. 1 and No. 3 spots to clinch the first point of the match. Ivan Melnik and Andy Brisdon teamed up for a 6-4 win at the top doubles position to take an early advantage. CU's Yuma Daijima and Kirtan Patel answered with an identical 6-4 win on the No. 2 doubles court to level the contest at 1-1, before UNK sealed the doubles point with a 7-5 victory from Cesare Carpano and Jakub Strzelecki at the No. 3 doubles position.
Creighton, however, came out swinging in singles and battled back to clinch the overall dual with straight set victories on the No. 1, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 singles positions.
Sophomore Rocky McKenzie came out strong in singles play, cruising to a 6-4, 6-0 straight sets win on the No. 3 singles court to level the contest at 1-1.
Senior Zachary Kuo followed suit, claiming a 6-2, 6-4 straight sets triumph at the No. 4 singles position, before Daijima battled out a 7-6, 6-1 victory at the top single spot to give the Jays a 3-1 edge.
UNK would then cut the deficit to 3-2 with a 6-3, 7-5 win from Ilan Fuentes on the No. 6 singles court, before Mathis Dahler clinched the overall dual with 6-2, 7-5 straight sets win on the No. 5 singles court.
Match 2: Creighton 4, Pratt CC 1
In match two, Creighton ran away with the doubles point, claiming wins on the No. 2 and No. 3 courts. Daijima and Patel cruised to a 6-0 win at the No. 2 spot, while Dahler and Kuo teamed up for a 6-2 clincher on the No. 3 doubles court.
The Bluejays momentum carried over into singles, clinching the match with straight set victories on the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 singles courts.
McKenzie moved to 2-0 on the day after picking up a 6-2, 6-2 straight set victory at the No. 3 singles spot to give the Jays a 2-0 advantage.
Pratt got on the scoreboard with a 6-3, 6-4 straight set victory on the No. 6 court, before Dahler claimed a 6-3, 6-2 win on the No. 5 singles court and Kuo clinched the match with a 6-4, 6-4 straight sets triumph at the No. 4 singles position.
Creighton returns to the court on Saturday night when they battle Notre Dame in a 5:00 p.m. in South Bend.
The Bluejays improved to 6-3 on the year with the wins, while the Lopers fell to 3-1 and the Beavers dropped to 3-2 overall.
Match 1: Creighton 4, Nebraska-Kearney 2
The Bluejays dropped the doubles point in the first match of the day, heading into singles with a 1-0 disadvantage. UNK picked up wins at the No. 1 and No. 3 spots to clinch the first point of the match. Ivan Melnik and Andy Brisdon teamed up for a 6-4 win at the top doubles position to take an early advantage. CU's Yuma Daijima and Kirtan Patel answered with an identical 6-4 win on the No. 2 doubles court to level the contest at 1-1, before UNK sealed the doubles point with a 7-5 victory from Cesare Carpano and Jakub Strzelecki at the No. 3 doubles position.
Creighton, however, came out swinging in singles and battled back to clinch the overall dual with straight set victories on the No. 1, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 singles positions.
Sophomore Rocky McKenzie came out strong in singles play, cruising to a 6-4, 6-0 straight sets win on the No. 3 singles court to level the contest at 1-1.
Senior Zachary Kuo followed suit, claiming a 6-2, 6-4 straight sets triumph at the No. 4 singles position, before Daijima battled out a 7-6, 6-1 victory at the top single spot to give the Jays a 3-1 edge.
UNK would then cut the deficit to 3-2 with a 6-3, 7-5 win from Ilan Fuentes on the No. 6 singles court, before Mathis Dahler clinched the overall dual with 6-2, 7-5 straight sets win on the No. 5 singles court.
Match 2: Creighton 4, Pratt CC 1
In match two, Creighton ran away with the doubles point, claiming wins on the No. 2 and No. 3 courts. Daijima and Patel cruised to a 6-0 win at the No. 2 spot, while Dahler and Kuo teamed up for a 6-2 clincher on the No. 3 doubles court.
The Bluejays momentum carried over into singles, clinching the match with straight set victories on the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 singles courts.
McKenzie moved to 2-0 on the day after picking up a 6-2, 6-2 straight set victory at the No. 3 singles spot to give the Jays a 2-0 advantage.
Pratt got on the scoreboard with a 6-3, 6-4 straight set victory on the No. 6 court, before Dahler claimed a 6-3, 6-2 win on the No. 5 singles court and Kuo clinched the match with a 6-4, 6-4 straight sets triumph at the No. 4 singles position.
Creighton returns to the court on Saturday night when they battle Notre Dame in a 5:00 p.m. in South Bend.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,1,3
#1 Singles Match
12
Ivan Melnik / 0 [UNK]
61
76
#2 Singles Match
123
Cesare Carpano / 0 [UNK]
250
64UF
#3 Singles Match
12
Tom Van Den Dungen / 0 [UNK]
40
66
#4 Singles Match
12
Alexandre Jaulin / 0 [UNK]
24
66
#5 Singles Match
12
Jakub Strzelecki / 0 [UNK]
25
67
#6 Singles Match
12
Ilan Fuentes / 0 [UNK]
67
35
Order of Finish:
3,4,6,1,5
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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Creighton Men's Tennis Postgame vs. North Dakota, 3/30/25
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Creighton Women's Tennis Postgame vs. North Dakota, 3/29/25
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