BETHLEHEM, Pa. (Feb. 5, 2012) – The Saint Francis U. men's tennis team came close on a number of occasions but could not break through against Lehigh.  As a result, the Red Flash fell to the Mountain Hawks, 5-2, on Sunday at the Lewis Center.

Lehigh swept doubles play and picked up the first three matches in singles play to clinch the victory.  However, tight scores throughout the lineup show that the Flash fell just short of a breakthrough performance.

“I am very disappointed in doubles. Up 4-2 and on serve, Sergio Carvajal (Nueva Esparta, Venezuela/U.E. Fray Elias Maria Sendra) and Chris Jimenez (Bayside, N.Y./St. Francis Preparatory) playing no. 2 doubles could not hold and that cost them the match. Lawson Barter (Chicago, Ill./Loyola) and Juan Pardo (Bogota, Colombia/Colegio Andino) at no. 3 doubles had triple match point in the tiebreaker and could not close out.”

“We played much better in singles picking up 2 wins from Sergio and Chris.”

The duo posted the only Saint Francis point of the day at nos. 4 and 6 positions, respectively.

“We are certainly improving in some areas but we still need to figure out a way to close out the doubles point,” Tobin explained.  “We are not a team that can afford to go into singles down a point.”

SFU (0-5) will take aim at an elusive first win of the season on Saturday when it visits George Mason.


Lehigh 5, Saint Francis U. 2

Doubles
1. Petersen/Goldberg (LU) def. Fleming/Rosa (SFU) 8-2
2. Gilman/Rauza (LU) def. Carvajal/Jimenez (SFU) 8-5
3. Krentz/Chernykh (LU) def. Barter/Pardo (SFU) 8-7 (5)

Singles
1. Mitch Petersen (LU) def. Nate Fleming (Gas City, Ind./Missossonewa) (SFU) 6-3, 6-1
2. Ben Gilman (LU) def. Andres Rosa (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Colegio la Piedad) (SFU) 6-1, 6-2
3. Andrew Krentz (LU) def. Lawson Barter (Chicago, Ill./Loyola) (SFU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Sergio Carvajal (Nueva Esparta, Venezuela/U.E. Fray Elias Maria Sendra) (SFU) def. Dan Goldblum (LU) 6-2, 7-6
5. Edgars Rauza (LU) def. Juan Pardo (Bogota, Colombia/Colegio Andino) (SFU) 6-4, 6-1
6. Chris Jimenez (Bayside, N.Y./St. Francis Preparatory) (SFU) def. Timur Chernykh (LU) 6-4, 7-5