BOX SCORE Flash Points:

• SFU Men's Tennis earned a 5-2 win over St. Francis Brooklyn on Sunday in its NEC opener.
• The Red Flash won the doubles point and four singles matches.
• Three of four singles wins came from players competing in their first NEC match.
• The Red Flash improved to 3-9 overall and meets Sacred Heart next Friday, March 23, at The Club Sport and Health in Monroeville.

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The Saint Francis Men's Tennis team claimed a 5-2 win in its NEC opener against St. Francis Brooklyn on Sunday.  The Red Flash won the doubles point and four singles matches.  Saint Francis improved to 3-9 overall, while the Terriers fell to 3-9 overall and 0-2 in the NEC.
 
"It's great to get our first conference win of the year," said Head Coach Rob Castille. "St. Francis Brooklyn is a much-improved team and we knew we would be in for a battle. It was important to come out in doubles with a lot of energy and intensity and we did that and won the point."
 
Sophomore Franz Luna (Guatemala City, Guatemala/Laurel Springs) and freshman Sebastian Pinos (Quito, Ecuador/Compuinformatica) combined at No. 2 doubles against the Terriers' Pablo Blasco-Torres and Javier Navarro.  The Red Flash duo earned a 6-3 win to improve to 7-5 this Spring.
 
In the match at No. 3, freshman Charles Morkel (Cape Town, South Africa/Paul Roos Gymnasium) paired up with junior Jan Vit Suntar (Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Slovenia/Gimnazija Kranj) against SFBK's Guillermo Artiz and Daniel Blasco.  The SFU pair picked up a 6-3 win to finish the weekend with a 1-1 record.  The win at No. 3 clinched the doubles point.
 
At the top doubles position, senior Alec Dylan Foo-Kune (Phoenix, Mauritius/International Connections Academy (Md.)) and sophomore Eduardo Garcia (Toluca, Mexico/Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico) met St. Francis Brooklyn's Francisco Adolfo Blanco and Alejandro Ridruejo.  The SFU duo fell 7-6, including 7-5 in the tiebreaker. 

"It was great to see JV back for doubles and Charlie back for singles and doubles," said Castille. "They've missed significant time due to injuries, so we're happy to have them playing again and hopefully they can stay healthy and contribute to the team."
 
Foo-Kune took on St. Francis Brooklyn's Navarro at No. 2 singles.  The Red Flash senior claimed the first set, 6-3.  He clinched a straight-set victory with a 6-2 second set to move to 6-5 this Spring.
 
Pinos battled SFBK's Adolfo Blanco in the match at No. 3.  The SFU rookie dropped the first set, 6-2, but bounced back to win the next set, 6-4.  In the deciding set, Pinos came out on top, 6-4.  Pinos earned his fourth win of the year. 
 
At No. 4, Morkel faced the Terriers' Artiz.  The Red Flash rookie won the opening set, 6-3, but dropped the next set, 7-5.  In the final set, Morkel won 6-3 for his first dual match victory at SFU.
 
Garcia matched up against SFBK's Blasco at No. 6.  The SFU sophomore dominated the first set, winning 6-0.  He completed the sweep with a 6-4 second set to earn his third win this Spring.
 
Luna took on St. Francis Brooklyn's Ridruejo at the top singles spot.  The Saint Francis sophomore won the first set, 6-2, but fell 6-3 in the second set.  In the deciding set, Ridruejo came out on top, 6-3.
 
Miller faced the Terriers' Stefan Gmijovic at No. 5.  However, the SFU junior fell 6-3, 6-1.
 
"In singles, we had only two players that have experienced conference play," said Castille. "So I was expecting us to be a little nervous at the start. St. Francis Brooklyn took advantage of some of that inexperience, but we were able to weather the storm to come away with four of the six matches."
 
The Red Flash continues NEC play next Friday with a 2 p.m. match against Sacred Heart at The Club Sport and Health in Monroeville.  The Pioneers are 2-8 this season.
 
Doubles:
1. Adolfo Blanco/Ridruejo(SFBK) def. Foo-Kune/Garcia(SFU), 7-6(5).
2. Luna/Pinos(SFU) def. Blasco-Torres/Navarro(SFBK), 6-3.
3. Morkel/Suntar(SFU) def. Artiz/Blasco(SFBK), 6-3.
Order of Finish: 3,2,1
 
Singles:
1. Ridruejo(SFBK) def. Luna(SFU), 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.
2. Foo-Kune(SFU) def. Navarro(SFBK), 6-3, 6-2.
3. Pinos(SFU) def. Adolfo Blanco(SFBK), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
4. Morkel(SFU) def. Artiz(SFBK), 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
5. Gmijovic(SFBK) def. Miller(SFU), 6-3, 6-1.
6. Garcia(SFU) def. Blasco(SFBK), 6-0, 6-4.
Order of Finish: 2,3,1,5,6,4