MONROEVILLE, PA (04/13/03) -- The Saint Joseph's men's tennis team put a finishing touch on its best season in over 30 years by placing fifth at the Atlantic 10 Championships - its best showing since joining the league in 1986. On Sunday at the Oxford Athletic Club, the Hawks clawed their way to a hard-fought 4-3 victory over George Washington. For the third straight day, SJU (13-6) won the doubles point which proved to be the difference in the match. Sophomores Francisco Velazquez and Van Homer Pangilinan remained perfect in the tournament with a 8-3 win at first doubles. Freshmen Jimmy Holland and A.J. Garabedian were 8-5 winners at second doubles. The two teams split the singles matches, with GW (9-10) taking the first three spots. Pangilinan dropped his first set at #4 singles, but rallied to notch a victory, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Freshman Antonio Aniello was another three-set winner at fifth singles, winning 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. At sixth singles, Garabedian was a 6-3, 6-1 straight-set victor. Saint Joseph's had never finished better than sixth at the A-10s, the last time being in 1993. Last spring, the Crimson and Gray placed 11th in the 12 team field. Even more impressive is that the Hawks sent out two sophomores and five freshmen to compete. The future has never looked brighter for Hawk men's tennis. Second-seeded St. Bonaventure upset first-seeded Richmond, 4-2, to win the Atlantic 10 Championship. #5 Duquesne, who upset SJU in the quarterfinals, took third place with a 4-2 win over #3 Xavier. Dayton placed 7th with a 4-0 win over Temple. Singles:
Matt Hane (GW) def. Francisco Velazquez 6-4, 6-1
Matt Treadgold (GW) def. Jimmy Holland 6-2, 6-2
Marius Weigert (GW) def. Chris Spencer 6-0, 6-4
Van Homer Pangilinan (SJU) def. Jake Jopling 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
Antonio Aniello (SJU) def. Brett Warner 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
A.J. Garabedian (SJU) def. Tim Rogers 6-3, 6-1
Doubles:
Velazquez / Pangilinan (SJU) def. Hane / Warner 8-3
Holland / Garabedian (SJU) def. Treadgold / Jopling 8-5
Weigert / Rogers (GW) vs. Greg Chang / Aniello 5-3