Feb. 14, 2010

NORFOLK, Va. - The Saint Joseph's men's tennis team lost a pair of matches this weekend, falling to Christopher Newport, 5-2, on Friday and 7-0 to Old Dominion on Saturday. Freshmen Alex Veronis and Tommy Gates were the lone SJU singles winners, taking the second- and fourth-flight singles matches, respectively, on Friday.

Veronis defeated CNU's Garrett Widing, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. He also partnered with sophomore Peter Cognetti at first doubles for an 8-6 win.

Gates dropped Gian Heyer in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3, for SJU's other point.

In Saturday's action, Cognetti and Veronis dropped a hard-fought match at number-one doubles, 8-5, while freshman Delfin Bernal battled valiantly before falling, 7-5, 6-4, at sixth singles.

The Hawks were without senior captain Nick Tuxen as well as sophomores Kevin Aquino and Jeff Kessler due to injury. Cognetti has also been hampered by a sore ankle.

Coach Ian Crookenden took some positives from the defeats.

"Old Dominion is highly-ranked in our region and, with the injuries to our squad, it was a good chance to get our freshmen some experience," he said. "We did not count on having to put all four freshmen out in matches their first year.

"As our veterans return as expected, we will see the team we had hoped to have for the early part of the schedule."

The Hawks return to action Saturday at Lafayette at 4:30 p.m.

Christopher Newport 5, Saint Joseph's 2

Doubles
1. Peter Cognetti / Alex Veronis (SJU) def. Gian Heyer / Lorenzo Sison (CNU), 8-6
2. Dusty Nelson / Eric Shulman (CNU) def. Michael Stauble / Matt Prusack (SJU), 8-5
3. Martin Brown / Garrett Widing (CNU) def. Delfin Bernal / Kristian Broaddus (SJU), 9-8 (5)

Singles
1. Shulman (CNU) def. Stauble (SJU), 6-2, 7-6 (5)
2. Veronis (SJU) def. Widing (CNU), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
3. Sison (CNU) def. Prusack (SJU), 6-4, 7-6 (7-1)
4. Tommy Gates (SJU) def. Heyer (CNU), 6-1, 6-3
5. Brown (CNU) def. Bernal (SJU), 6-4, 6-3
6. Nelson def. Broaddus (SJU), 6-3, 6-3

Old Dominion 7, Saint Joseph's 0

Doubles
1. Yakov Diskin / Krzysztof Muzalewski (ODU) def. Cognetti/Veronis (SJU), 8-5
2. Albert Ochagavia / Fahoum Fahoum (ODU) def. Stauble/Prusack (SJU), 8-4
3. Benjamin Chomette / Alfredo Rodriguez (ODU) def. Bernal/Broaddus (SJU), 8-1

Singles
1. Tobias Fanselow (ODU) def. Stauble (SJU), 6-4, 6-0
2. Chomette (ODU) def. Veronis (SJU), 6-2, 6-2
3. Diskin (ODU) def. Prusack (SJU), 6-1, 6-2
4. Ochagavia (ODU) def. Cognetti (SJU), 6-2, 6-2
5. Fahoum (ODU) def. Gates (SJU), 6-4, 6-3
6. Rodriguez (ODU) def. Bernal (SJU), 7-5, 6-4