WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. – The Saint Francis men's tennis team earned a 7-0 win on Friday at Niagara.  The Red Flash only lost one set combined in singles and doubles matches to improve to 3-0 this season.
 
"The guys approached this match in a very business-like manner," said Head Coach Rob Castille. "We knew Niagara was down a few of their players but I told the guys not to lose focus and make sure they went out and competed hard."
 
In doubles action, the Red Flash won the doubles point for the third straight match to take the early 1-0 advantage.
 
At the top doubles spot, sophomore Alec Dylan Foo-Kune (Phoenix, Mauritius/International Connections Academy (Md.)) and senior Washi Gervais (Longueuil, Quebec/College Stanislas) matched up against Brent Boleslav and Francis Nadeau.  The Red Flash duo won 6-3 to improve to 3-0 on the season and complete the doubles sweep in the match.
 
Junior Rodrigo Tico (Guadalajara, Mexico/Colegio de Bachilleres) and freshman Robin van der Heijden (Burgh Haamstede, Netherlands/Scheldmond College) had a dominant performance at the No. 2 doubles position, with a 6-0 win over the Purple Eagles' Chris Grossi and Joseph Smithyman.  The Saint Francis pair picked up its first win this spring.
 
The doubles point was clinched with the victory by junior Plamen Avuski (Plovdiv, Bulgaria /Math High School ) and freshman Jan Vit Suntar (Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Slovenia/Gimnazija Kranj) at No. 3.  The SFU pair knocked off Niagara's Mark Mackowski and Jason Wisely, 6-1.  Avuski and Suntar are also 3-0 this spring.
 
Gervais competed at the top singles spot against Nadeau.  The senior won the opening set, 6-4.  He followed that with a 6-3 second frame to complete the straight-set win and improve to 3-0 this season.
 
At the No. 2 singles spot, Foo-Kune took on the Purple Eagles' Boleslav.  The Red Flash sophomore dominated the first set, 6-0.  However, Boleslav won a tight second set, 7-6, including a 7-4 tiebreaker.  Foo-Kune responded by winning the deciding set, 10-6, to clinch the match point.  He is now 2-1 this spring.
 
The junior, Tico, matched up against Niagara's Smithyman at No. 3 singles.  Tico won the first set, 6-4, and completed the straight-set victory with a 6-2 second set.  Tico also improved to 2-1 this season.
 
In the fourth singles position, Suntar faced Mackowski.  The SFU freshman claimed the first set, 6-0, before winning the second set, 6-1.  He is now 3-0 this spring.
 
Junior Eli Cerdan (Bloomfield, N.J. /Saint Mary High School) competed at No. 5 against the Purple Eagles' Grossi.  In the first set, Cerdan came out on top, 6-2.  He completed the straight-set win with a 6-1 second set to improve to 2-0 this season.
 
At the sixth spot, van der Heijden took on Wisely.  The Red Flash freshman won the opening set, 6-2.  He bettered that performance in the next set, with a 6-0 victory.  He is now 2-1 this spring.
 
"It will be nice to have two weeks until our next match so that we can focus on several things that need improved," said Castille. "But overall, I like where we are, at this point in the season."
 
The Red Flash are back in action on Saturday, February 6 at Lafayette for a 3 p.m. match.  That Sunday, SFU also plays at Lehigh at 2 p.m.
 
Doubles:
1. Foo-Kune/Gervais(SFU) def. Boleslav/Nadeau(NU), 6-3
2. Tico/van der Heijden(SFU) def. Grossi/Smithyman(NU), 6-0.
3. Avuski/Suntar(SFU) def. Mackowski/Wisely(NU), 6-1.
Order of Finish: 2,3,1
 
Singles:
1. Gervais(SFU) def. Nadeau(NU), 6-4, 6-3.
2. Foo-Kune(SFU) def. Boleslav(NU), 6-0, 6-7(4), (10-6).
3. Tico(SFU) def. Smithyman(NU), 6-4, 6-2.
4. Suntar(SFU) def. Mackowski(NU), 6-0, 6-1.
5. Cerdan(SFU) def. Grossi(NU), 6-2, 6-1.
6. van der Heijden(SFU) def. Wisely(NU), 6-2, 6-0.
Order of Finish: 3,1,2,4,5,6