NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University men's tennis took a 2-1 edge after its doubles matches with Endicott College, but the Gulls managed four singles wins to score their first-ever victory over the Seahawks, 5-4, in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) matchup.
Endicott's No. 3 doubles pair - Evan Ross (Worcester, Mass.) and Porter Williams (Raleigh, N.C.) - earned the first point of the foggy day, quickly with an 8-0 score.
Salve Regina (4-7; 4-4 TCCC) then grinded out two valuable points. At No. 2 doubles, junior co-captain Brian Castrichini (Winchester, Mass.) and sophomore Aaron Isch (Tolland, Conn.) earned a service break early and then maintained that through the first 10 games of the match before adding another in the 11th. Isch served out the match in the 12th game for an 8-4 final.
Endicott (8-5; 6-2 TCCC) rallied from a 7-4 deficit at No. 1 doubles with freshman Zach Arpey (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) and senior Devon Locke (St. Croix, Virgin Islands) both holding serve around a break. The Seahawk duo of Zachary Rosenfeld (Easton, Conn.) and Chad Strong (San Diego, Calif.), whose only conference blemish came in a tiebreak last week against Western New England College, held serve at 7-all before the Gulls held to force a tiebreak.
In the tiebreak, Salve Regina got up 4-2 before Endicott won three straight points. The Seahawks had match point at 6-5 and then the Gulls had match point on their racquet at 7-6. After the changeover on the 9-9 point, Endicott served up a double fault to put the match on Strong's racquet serving. The sophomore righty kicked his serve to the backhand and the return sailed wide cross court.
Endicott re-grouped to take the first three singles outcomes. Jake Cohen (Barrington, R.I.), Arpey and Ross each won in straight sets at No. 6, 4, 5, respectively. Isch won at No. 3 for the Seahawks to pull within 4-3, but Willliams defeated Rosenfeld to clinch the match for Endicott.
Strong finished out the scoring with another tiebreak decision, this for the third set at No. 1 singles.
Salve Regina hosts Gordon College on Tuesday while Endicott, which improves to 1-14 all-time versus the Seahawks, plays at Curry College.
Tennis Match Results
Endicott vs Salve Regina
04/11/11 at Newport, R.I.
(Leroy Avenue tennis courts)
Endicott 5, Salve Regina 4
Singles competition
1. Chad Strong (SRU) def. Devon Locke (EC) 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8)
2. Porter Williams (EC) def. Zachary Rosenfeld (SRU) 7-5, 6-2
3. Aaron Isch (SRU) def. Olivier Joggi (EC) 6-3, 6-1
4. Zach Arpey (EC) def. Brian Castrichini (SRU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Evan Ross (EC) def. Colin Gunning (SRU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Jake Cohen (EC) def. Brian Sweeney (SRU) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Zachary Rosenfeld/Chad Strong (SRU) def. Zach Arpey/Devon Locke (EC) 9-8 (11-9)
2. Brian Castrichini/Aaron Isch (SRU) def. Jake Cohen/Olivier Joggi (EC) 8-4
3. Evan Ross/Porter Williams (EC) def. James Diamantopoulos/Kenneth McCormack (SRU) 8-0
Match Notes:
Endicott 8-5; 6-2 TCCC
Salve Regina 4-7; 4-4 TCCC
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,4,5,3,2,1)
Official: self-officiated A-27
