WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Lafayette men's tennis team split its pair of league matches on Saturday in West Point, N.Y., falling to Army, 6-1, and defeating Holy Cross by a 4-3 score.
Senior Chris Matturri notched the lone win for the Maroon and White against Army, defeating Michael Nguyen by a 7-5, 6-3 score.
"The team competed exceptionally against a power house Army squad," interim head coach Ralph Van Ormer said. "Chris fought for every point and his determination won him the match at third singles."
Lafayette dropped all three doubles matches against the Black Knights with the pairs of Brian Stefanowicz / Matturri and Mason Keel / Chris Kim falling by 6-3 scores. Keel put up a fight in his fourth-singles match, dropping a 6-2, 6-3 decision.
The Leopards bounced back against Holy Cross, though, as they won three singles matches and two of the three doubles matches for the win, their first of the league season. The pairs of Brian Stefanowicz / Chris Matturri and Gavin Studner / Andrew Reed won the doubles point with 6-2 and 6-4 victories, respectively.
Studner's singles victory at the second slot was the game-winner in a thriller. After dropping the first set, 5-7, he won the second, 7-5, and took the third, 7-6, winning 7-5 in the deciding tiebreaker.
"Gavin fought hard to give us the victory. When he was down, he pushed all his chips in at the end and came away with the victory," Van Ormer said. "This was a great win for the team and even better win for Gavin. I'm proud of the team for their fight and never-give-up attitude."
Below are the full results from Saturday's matches. The Leopards, now 2-8 overall and 1-1 in league play, return to the court on Friday, traveling to Emmitsburg, Md. to battle with Mount St. Mary's at 3 p.m.
Army, L, 6-1
Singles
Sam Lampman (ARMY) def. Brian Stefanowicz (LAF) 6-0, 6-1
Grant Riechmann (ARMY) def. Gavin Studner (LAF) 6-3, 6-0
Chris Matturri (LAF) def. Michael Nguyen (ARMY) 7-5, 6-3
Harrison McCormick (ARMY) def. Mason Keel (LAF) 6-2, 6-3
Michael Sienko (ARMY) def. Andrew Reed (LAF) 6-1, 6-0
Ben Davies (ARMY) def. Matthew DeBenedetto (LAF) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
Harrison McCormick / Austin McCasin (ARMY) def. Brian Stefanowicz / Chris Matturri (LAF) 6-3
Kyle Barnes / Grant Riechmann (ARMY) def. Gavin Studner / Andrew Reed (LAF) 6-2
David Mitchell / Michael Sienko (ARMY) def. Mason Keel / Chris Kim (LAF) 6-3
Holy Cross, W, 4-3
Singles
Michael Varda (HC) def. Brian Stefanowicz (LAF) 4-6, 6-3, 1-6
Gavin Studner (LAF) def. Henry Harrs (HC) 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5)
Chris Matturri (LAF) def. Charlie Volkwein (HC) 7-5, 6-2
Jimmy Ye (HC) def. Mason Keel (LAF) 6-4, 6-2
Peter Campito (HC) def. Andrew Reed (LAF) 6-4, 6-2
Matthew DeBenedetto (LAF) def. Rich DeGregoris (HC) 6-4, 2-1, Ret.
Doubles
Brian Stefanowicz / Chris Matturri (LAF) def. Peter Campito / Rich DeGregoris (HC) 6-2
Gavin Studner / Andrew Reed (LAF) def. Henry Harrs / Michael Varda (HC) 6-4
Jimmy Ye / Charlie Volkwein (HC) def. Mason Keel / Chris Kim (LAF) 6-3
