Flash Points:
- SFU Men's Tennis dropped a tight 4-3 match at Wagner on Sunday.
- The loss snaps a streak of 14 straight wins in NEC regular season matches by SFU.
- The Red Flash won the doubles point, but Wagner won four singles matches.
- SFU is now 3-1 in the NEC and will take on George Washington and Mount St. Mary's next weekend.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The Saint Francis Men's Tennis team dropped a tough 4-3 match at Wagner on Sunday. The Red Flash won the doubles point, but the Seahawks won four singles matches, with the deciding match going to three sets. The Red Flash is now 5-10 overall and 3-1 in NEC play, while Wagner improved to 7-6 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
The loss snaps an SFU streak of 14 consecutive wins in NEC regular season matches, dating back to the 2014 season.
"This was a well-fought college match," said Head Coach
Rob Castille. "We give credit to Wagner, who played a solid match. I think we were a little drained from such an emotional and hard-fought match against FDU, but we need to learn to put matches behind us and reset the next day."
At the top doubles spot, senior
Alec Dylan Foo-Kune (Phoenix, Mauritius/International Connections Academy (Md.)) and junior
Jan Vit Suntar (Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Slovenia/Gimnazija Kranj) took on Wagner's Anatoliy Lashkul and Dale Sandy. The Red Flash duo earned a 6-4 win to clinch the doubles point and pick up its first win this Spring.
Sophomore
Franz Luna (Guatemala City, Guatemala/Laurel Springs) and freshman
Sebastian Pinos (Quito, Ecuador/Compuinformatica) competed against the Seahawks' Charlton Boyd and Ilya Kneppelhout at No. 3. The SFU pair claimed a 6-4 victory to move to 8-7 in dual matches.
In the match at No. 2, sophomore
Eduardo Garcia (Toluca, Mexico/Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico) and freshman
Charles Morkel (Cape Town, South Africa/Paul Roos Gymnasium) met Wagner's Eric Poland and Dylan Walters, but fell 6-2.
"We actually played well in doubles against a team that is always good in doubles," said Castille. "So getting the point was huge. But we came out a little flat in singles and had to fight from behind. It proved to be too much to overcome and Wagner took advantage. This is the exact opposite from last night's match, so this will be a good learning experience. We know we can come back from losing the doubles point, but also know that we can still lose after winning the doubles point."
Foo-Kune took on Wagner's Lashkul at No. 2 singles. After dropping the first set, 6-4, Foo-Kune claimed the second set, 6-4. In the deciding set, Foo-Kune came out on top, 6-4. He is now 9-5 this Spring.
Pinos battled the Seahawks' Poland in the match at No. 4. The Red Flash rookie took the opening set, 6-3. Pinos completed the straight-set victory with a 6-2 second set to move to 7-8 in dual matches.
At No. 1, Luna competed against Wagner's Walters. The SFU sophomore dropped a 6-4, 6-3 decision. He is now 8-7 this Spring.
Morkel faced Wagner's Hans Ohrner at No. 3. The Red Flash freshman fell 6-0, 6-4 and is now 3-4 in dual matches.
Sophomore
Samuel Miller (Smithfield, R.I./Homeschool) met the Seahawks' Kneppelhout at No. 5. Miller fell 6-3 in the first set and 7-6, including 7-3 in the tiebreaker, in a tight second set.
In the match at No. 6, Suntar took on Wagner's Boyd. After dropping the first set, 6-3, Suntar claimed the second set, 6-2. In the final set, and the deciding set of the match, Boyd came out on top, 6-0.
The Red Flash is back on the road for two matches next weekend. SFU visits George Washington on Friday for a Noon match and continues NEC play with a 2 p.m. match at Mount St. Mary's on Saturday.
Doubles:
1. Foo-Kune/Suntar(SFU) def. Lashkul/Sandy(WAG), 6-4.
2. Poland/Walters(WAG) def. Garcia/Morkel(SFU), 6-2.
3. Luna/Pinos(SFU) def. Boyd/Kneppelhout(WAG), 6-4.
Order of Finish: 2,3,1
Singles:
1. Walters(WAG) def. Luna(SFU), 6-4, 6-3.
2. Foo-Kune(SFU) def. Lashkul(WAG), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
3. Ohrner(WAG) def. Morkel(SFU), 6-0, 6-4.
4. Pinos(SFU) def. Poland(WAG), 6-3, 6-2.
5. Kneppelhout(WAG) def. Miller(SFU), 6-3, 7-6(3).
6. Boyd(WAG) def. Suntar(SFU), 6-3, 2-6, 6-0.
Order of Finish: 1,3,2,4,5,6
