BOARDMAN, Ohio (Feb. 20, 2011) – The Saint Francis University men's tennis team showed some fight, but ended up falling, 6-1, to Youngstown State at the Boardman Tennis Center on Sunday morning.
“This is probably one of the best matches our men have played all year,” said SFU head coach Paul Tobin. “For the first time I saw my players not only competing with the talented Youngstown State players, but working the ball and not afraid to get aggressive.”
Nathaniel Fleming furnished the sole Red Flash win on the day, successfully wielding the No. 3 racquet against the Penguins' Felipe Rosa. Fleming split the first two sets, 5-7, 6-2, before dominating the tiebreaker, 10-3.
Andres Rosa (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Colegio la Piedad) put on quite a show and proved that he can handle the heat in his match at no.2 singles, but ended up falling, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5).
“This is by far the best match I have seen Andres play,” said Tobin. “I really feel that he is starting to understand what it takes to compete with these bigger players.”
Stephen Kowalski (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East) pushed YSU's Zeeshan Ismail to the limit, but out on the short end of a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 match.
Saint Francis'
Elahn Pogue (St. Catherines, Ontario/West Park) and Fleming also won a solid, 8-6, match at No. 1 doubles. YSU took the other two doubles competitions, including a tight 8-6 setback at the No. 2 spot.
The Red Flash return to action on Feb. 25 when they host Bucknell at 4 p.m.
Youngstown State 6, Saint Francis 1
Singles
No. 1 - Tariq Ismail (YSU) def. E. Pogue 3-0 by default
No. 2 - Max Schmerin (SFU) def. A. Rosa (YSU) 7-5, 7-6 (7-5)
No. 3 - N. Fleming (SFU) def. Felipe Rosa (YSU) 5-7, 6-2, 10-3
No. 4 - Zeeshan Ismail (YSU) def. S. Kowalski (SFU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
No. 5 - Rodrigo Campos (YSU) def. Y. Natchev (SFU) 7-5, 6-2
No. 6 - Rob Emig (YSU) def. K. Mendes (SFU) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 - Pogue/ Fleming (SFU) def. T. Ismail/Rosa (YSU), 8-6
No. 2 - Schmerin/Z. Ismail (YSU) def. Kowalski/Rosa 8-6
No. 3 - Campos/Emig (YSU) def. Natchev/Mendes (SFU) 8-3
