Men's Tennis | February 16, 2019
PHILADELPHIA - Buoyed by a pair of thrilling three-set victories in singles, the La Salle University men's tennis team picked up a 5-2 win over Siena on Saturday evening, the team's first victory of the season. Sophomore
Rogelio Gonzalez and freshman
Nassim Fenjiro both toughed out three-set triumphs to help the Explorers to the team win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- In a closely contested doubles point, the Saints won a tiebreaker at No. 3 to take an early 1-0 lead. Gonzalez and classmate Connor Merrill were the lone duo to win for La Salle, taking a 7-6 (7-4) victory at No. 2.
- Senior Francesco Mowrey and sophomore Colin Lucius made quick work of their counterparts at No. 1 and No. 5 singles, with Lucius dropping just a single game in a 6-1, 6-0 win.
- Mowrey gave the Explorers a 2-1 lead with a 6-2, 6-4 win at the top singles position, and junior Patrick Pascual made it 3-1 in favor of the Explorers after winning the first set and having his opponent at No. 6 retire.
- Matches at Nos. 2, 3 and 4 all went to third-set supertiebreakers, with La Salle taking two of the three.
- Gonzalez and Fenjiro each won the first sets of their matches at Nos. 2 and 4, respectively, while Merrill battled back from a tiebreaker loss in the first to take the second set, also in a tiebreak.
- Fenjiro was able to handily defeat Mo Sawani, 10-2, to clinch the team victory for La Salle. Gonzalez earned a 10-6 win, while Merrill dropped a heartbreaking 12-10 decision.
UP NEXT
- The Explorers host a pair of opponents next weekend, with Davidson coming to Philadelphia for an Atlantic 10 matchup on Saturday, Feb. 23.
- The following day, La Salle will take on Fairfield in a non-conference contest.
LA SALLE 5, SIENA 2
Philadelphia, Pa. | Legacy Tennis Center
DOUBLES
1. Del Olmo/Lopez (SIE) def.
Francesco Mowrey/
Nassim Fenjiro (LAS), 6-3
2.
Connor Merrill/
Rogelio Gonzalez (LAS) def. Bains/Bellino (SIE), 7-6 (7-4)
3. Kirkwood/Sawani (SIE) def.
Colin Lucius/
Andrija Bozovic (LAS), 7-6
SINGLES
1. Mowrey (LAS) def. Bains (SIE), 6-2, 6-4
2. Del Olmo (SIE) def. Merrill (LAS), 6-7, 7-6, 12-10
3. Gonzalez (LAS) def. Lopez (SIE), 6-3, 3-6, 10-6
4. Fenjiro (LAS) def. Sawani (SIE), 6-3, 4-6, 10-2
5. Lucius (LAS) def. Kirkwood (SIE), 6-1, 6-0
6. Pascual (LAS) def. Bellino (SIE), 6-2, 4-3 ret.
