NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Feb. 24, 2013) – Playing its first Northeast Conference match of the season, the Saint Francis U men's tennis team came close to edging potential fifth-seed Sacred Heart but failed to close in key positions, falling 5-2.

Meeting in the regular season for the first time at the Yale Tennis Center, things heated up quickly when the SFU no. 1 doubles team of Washi Gervais (Longueuil, Quebec/College Stanislas) and Sergio Carvajal (Nueva Esparta, Venezuela/U.E. Fray Elias Maria Sendra) were fighting for the doubles point when SFU took third doubles.

Gervais and Carvajal up 5-0 allowed the Pioneers duo of Jeremy Shuskus and Justin Pogan to come back at 5-4. Both teams continued to hold serve and SFU found themselves up 7-6 on serve. At match point, Saint Francis hit a would-be winner that was called out late. Facing a tiebreaker, the Flash held strong but failed to pull it out losing 8-7 in the set.

“This was a very disappointing loss for our players,” said SFU coach Paul Tobin. “The doubles point was ours. Despite the call at match point, we still should have pulled out the tiebreaker, but we let our emotions get the best of us.”

Singles action showed lots of drama and excitement. In his first match in four weeks, Chris Jimenez (Bayside, N.Y./St. Francis Preparatory) at no. 4 for Red Flash took the first point against Sacred Heart's Mike Provenzano easily 6-2, 6-4.

At no. 1 singles, Gervais increased his win column by one more with his defeat of James Barnhart 6-3, 6-4. Gervais, down 3-2 in the first set and down a break, managed to break back and win the next four games. There was no looking back as he picked up the second point for the Red Flash.

It was looking good for Saint Francis to secure another point at no. 3 singles with Carvajal up against SHU's Matt Dean. Carvajal fought back from a 5-2 deficit in the first to tie it up at 6-6. With Dean on serve, Carvajal hit two return winners to go up 30-15. Dean fought back with two service winners getting things back to deuce. Dean got the best of Carvajal and closed out the set 7-6. In the second set, Carvajal had no problem closing it out 6-3 without letting up any service breaks.

It looked like Carvajal was coasting to a third set win when up 3-1 and on serve he fell on a wide ball and began cramping. Carvajal took a medical timeout but it wasn't enough to continue and he was forced to pull out and give up the point.

Lawson Barter (Chicago, Ill./Loyola) provided the last strong run as he went three sets with Jeremy Shuskus. Losing the first set 6-4, Barter pulled things around taking the second set 7-6 in which both players held serving ground. Playing a super tiebreaker, both players held until 9-8 when Shuskus broke Barter to go up 11-10. Unable to break Shuskus first serve, Barter lost in a tight 12-10.

“This match could have easily gone our way,” said Tobin. “I am proud of the way the men played and feel confident we are gaining ground. We are improving and the men are playing great tennis.”