The UM-St. Louis men's tennis team saw its conference championship aspirations fall short at last weekend's Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament, but that did not stop a few players from collecting some all-conference awards.
Senior Francis Lam was an all-conference selection for the third straight year, which is only the second time that distinction has been given to a Riverman tennis player. The first to do it was Matt Vaulkhard.
Lam finished 18-8 in singles matches this season, and 17-9 in doubles matches with his partner, junior Boris Simic. Earlier in the year, Lam broke the school record with his 52nd career singles victory.
Along with being named an all-conference selection, freshman Andreas Dimke was named the GLVC Freshman of the Year. Dimke finished 14-8 in singles matches this year, which included nine wins competing in the "one" spot on the team. He also was 11-7 as a doubles player, teamed with freshman Andre Chemas, and had a 4-0 record in conference play.
After receiving these awards, it was time to compete in the conference tournament. In the first round, UM-St. Louis drew Northern Kentucky. The Norse proved to be little trouble, as the Rivermen recorded the overall 5-0 victory.
The doubles teams of Lam and Simic, sophomore Peter Hantack and junior Ryan Burgdorfer, and Dimke and Chemas all were victorious in their opening round matches. This meant the team only needed victories from Lam and Dimke to advance, which they got in straight sets.
However, the next day the Rivermen would be pitted against Drury, whom they lost to 6-0 the first time the two teams met. The result on this day would be about the same, as it was the Panthers who would defeat UM-St.Louis 5-0, sweeping the doubles matches and winning two singles matches in straight sets.
UM-St. Louis finished its spring season with an 11-7 overall record. For Lam, the team's leader and only senior, there will be no more records broken.
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