March 1, 2009

FORT WASHINGTON, PA - It came down to the final match, but with a victory by junior Matt Prusack in fifth singles, the Saint Joseph's men's tennis team earned a 4-3 victory over Drexel late Saturday evening at the Upper Dublin Tennis Complex.

Opening with doubles action, the Hawks grabbed the first point of the match as Phil Bayliss and Michael Stauble were 8-3 victors at the first flight, while Jeff Kessler and Pat Adams posted a 8-4 win at No. 2 doubles to spot SJU the first point.

Switching to singles, Bayliss was a 6-2, 6-4 winner at No. 2 singles, but Adams dropped a three-set match to Joe Koebele, 3-6 6-2 6-4, to cut the Hawks' lead to 2-1.

Stauble brought SJU within a point of winning the match by earning a 6-7(4) 6-3 7-6(5) win at No. 3 singles.

However the Dragons recovered to tie the game at three with wins at No. 4 and No. 6 singles.

With the game on the line, Prusack came through in the clutch for the Hawks. Prusack won the opening set 6-4 against Jason Savage-Pollack, but dropped the second 4-6 to force a winner-take-all third set. In that final set, Prusack persevered and won the set and the match for Saint Joseph's with a 6-4 win.

"It was a great tennis match with great courage from the whole squad," said head coach Ian Crookenden. "It's a great way to head into spring break."

The Hawks return to action March 10 versus Aquinas College in Orlando Florida.

Singles
1. Joe Koebele (DU) def. Pat Adams (SJU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
2. Phil Bayliss (SJU) def. Carlo Pangilinan (DU) 6-2, 6-4
3. Michael Stauble (SJU) def. Mehdi Rhazali (DU) 6-7 (4), 6-3, 7-6 (5)
4. Saby Rose (DU) def. Jeff Kessler (SJU) 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
5. Matt Prusack (SJU) def. Jason Savage-Pollack (DU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
6. Bryan Nguyen (DU) def. Peter Cognetti (SJU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3

Doubles
1. Bayliss/Stauble (SJU) def. Koebele/Pangilinan (DU) 8-3
2. Kessler/Adams (SJU) def. Rose/Savage-Pollack (DU) 8-4
3. Rhazali/Nguyen (DU) def. Cognetti/Aquino (SJU) 9-7