PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (Feb. 16, 2013) – The Saint Francis U men's tennis team put up a good fight against a tough Drexel team which has won all four of its matches since the calendar turned. The Red Flash, playing with only four men due to injuries and sickness, almost clinched the doubles point in a dramatic finish at the Drexel Armory in downtown Philadelphia but eventually fell, 4-1.

Having to forfeit at no. 3 doubles and nos. 4 and 5 singles, SFU had to pull out wins in the nos. 1 and 2 doubles spots. Washi Gervais (Longueuil, Quebec/College Stanislas) and Sergio Carvajal (Nueva Esparta, Venezuela/U.E. Fray Elias Maria Sendra) came within two points of taking the match and picking up the doubles point for the Red Flash after Barter and Rosa won at no. 2.

No. 1 doubles were tied at 4-4 against Dragons' Badr Quabdelmoumen and Skyler Davis. On serve SFU failed to hold to go down 5-4. The Flash tandem finally found a break at 7-6 to go into tiebreaker. Gervais, serving at 9-8, failed to hold giving the Dragons a critical 10-8 edge. With both teams holding Drexel clinched the match 11-9.

SFU's no. 2 doubles team of Andres Rosa (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Colegio la Piedad) and Lawson Barter (Chicago, Ill./Loyola) were at 3-3 on serve against Drexel's Xabeir Saavedra and Dan Koehler but failed to hold serve giving up two double faults. With Drexel up 5-4, SFU managed to hold to 5-5. Rosa hit two return winners followed by a volley winner to break the Dragons and lead 6-5 but SFU broke again and closed the set and match 7-5.

“This was huge,” said Flash coach Paul Tobin. “Coming within two points of taking the doubles point was something I didn't expect. With Chris [Jimenez] and Juan [Pardo] out, our doubles lineups have been difficult to develop since we have not had a standard lineup since our opener.”

Going into singles already down an additional two points due to forfeit at the nos. 5 and 6 positions, the Red Flash had to pull out wins in all four positions – not an easy feat against a top Drexel team. Carvajal at no. 3 for SFU picked up a point with his win over senior Jeganathan Srinivasan. The Dragons' upperclassman is coming off a strong fall where he racked up an 8-3 record in preseason.

Carvajal broke at 2-1 to go up 3-1 and held serve the entire match to close the set at 6-4. In the second set both players held serve to reach 6-6 and going into the tiebreaker. Carvajal down 6-4 cranked two return winners to tie at 6-6. Already on a roll, Carvajal closed the set with two service winners.

Gervais, moving to the top spot for the Red Flash, gave up an easy first set to Drexel sophmore Badr Quabdelmoumen. Quabdelmoumen is also coming off a 9-2 record.

In the second set Gervais managed to turn things around.

Already down 3-2 Gervais broke back to go up 4-3. With both players holding, Gervais found himself with set point at 5-4. Unable to close after a dramatic 19-ball rally, both players found themselves in a tiebreaker which lasted over 20 minutes. Gervais, up 5-4, failed to hold serve evening things up at 5-5. The Drexel player was able to hold both service opportunities and close out the set 7-5.

“It was just high-level tennis from both Washi and Sergio,” said Tobin. “I wasn't happy with our practices last week and was surprised we competed so well. I think if Chris and Juan were here, the scores would have been in our favor.”

The Red Flash heads to Saint Peter's on Sunday.