NIAGARA, N.Y. (Jan. 26, 2013) – The Saint Francis University men's tennis team fought hard Saturday at the Sportsplex Center against a successful Niagara team that went 11-7 last year with wins over Saint Joseph's (Pa.), Duquesne and Bucknell, all top tennis programs. SFU came in with a disadvantage, having to forfeit no. 4 singles and putting a non-lineup player at third doubles.

The Purple Eagles won 6-1.

Sergio Carvajal (Nueva Esparta, Venezuela/U.E. Fray Elias Maria Sendra) and Washi Gervais (Longueuil, Quebec/College Stanislas), playing together for the Red Flash for the first time, clinched an 8-3 win over Eagles junior Mathieu Lacasse and sophomore Lorenz Schwojer. SFU got broken only one time and was able to dominate the net over 80% of the time.

Andres Rosa (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Colegio la Piedad) and Lawson Barter (Chicago, Ill./Loyola), playing at no. 1 doubles was up a break at 3-2 against Niagara sophomore David Raymond and freshman Michael Elortegui but failed to hold and tied at 3-3. Claiming over 13 errors, SFU allowed the Eagles team to dominate the net and closing out 8-4.

Juan Pardo (Bogota, Colombia/Colegio Andino) and Matt Jurjevich playing in the third spot for SFU managed to scrap up four games against Niagara junior Mathieu Lacasse and top freshman Joeseph Smithyman. This was senior Jurjevich's first match of the year.

“I knew taking the doubles point was going to be hard,” said SFU coach Paul Tobin. “Niagara was playing their original lineups and we had teams that never played before competing for the first time. We had to sit out Jimenez who usually plays no. 2 doubles with Sergio so he can rest his injury. Without depth, I had to bring in a non-lineup player at third doubles.”

In singles action, Rosa and Gervais posted the strongest showing for the Red Flash. Rosa, playing in his last season at Saint Francis, managed to pull out a first set win over junior Eagles 6-3 David Raymond who went 12-4 in 2012 and made it to the second round of the ITA regionals at Yale. Raymond came up strong in the second, Rosa down 4-1, came back 4-3 after breaking Raymond and holding. Rosa was unable to keep the momentum going unable to pick up games to close out the set. Raymond came out strong in the third set against a cramping Rosa to dominate 6-1.

Gervais, playing at no. 2 for the Red Flash, demonstrated why he belongs at the top of the lineup. Up against top Niagara freshman Michael Elortegui, Gervais took the opening five games before giving up one game closing out the set 6-1. Elortegui fought hard in the second breaking Gervais at 4-3 to close the set 6-3. Gervais, not going down, pulled out the third set leading 3-0, only to be broken to 3-2. Gervais began cramping and up 5-2 lost the next two games. Gervais closed out the match breaking Elortegui to take the win 6-4.

Jimenez, playing at no. 4, gave Niagara its second point by default. Jimenez bowed out of doubles in order to rest but was unable to continue his match against Eagles' sophomore Lorenz Schwojier .

“Obviously I was dissapointed that we had to go into this match down a lineup player in doubles,” said Tobin. “I am pretty sure that the outcome would have been favorable if we had a healthy lineup and weren't forced to mix up our doubles lineup. All in all, we had players that really pushed themselves while others are struggling to find there game.”

The Red Flash is back on the road Sunday against Saint Bonaventure at noon.