March 24, 2012

BRONX, N.Y. - The Saint Joseph's men's tennis team won its third consecutive match on Saturday afternoon, topping conference rival Fordham by a 4-3 score. Sophomore Dan Barrus was a double-winner, earning victories in both the second doubles flight and the fourth singles flight.

The Hawks dispatched Lehigh and Villanova earlier in the week by the same 4-3 score.

Barrus teamed with Tommy Gates to take their second-flight doubles match in a tiebreaker. Alex Veronis and Peter Cognetti were winners in the third flight, notching the 8-6 win, to secure the doubles point.

In singles play, Barrus, Max Montague, and Pierre Brondeau were winners in the fourth, fifth, and sixth flights, respectively, to earn the three points needed to clinch the victory. Barrus dropped the first set, 7-5, before winning the last two by identical 6-1 scores; Montague and Brondeau won their matches in straight sets.

The Hawks will go for four in a row at NJIT on Sunday.

Saint Joseph's 4, Fordham 3

Doubles
1. Kuba Kowalski / Mischa Koran (FOR) def. Jeff Kessler / Max Montague (SJU), 8-6
2. Tommy Gates / Dan Barrus (SJU) def. Srikar Alla / J.J. Tauil (FOR), 9-8 (3)
3. Alex Veronis / Peter Cognetti (SJU) def. Max Peara / Peder Gram (FOR), 8-6

Singles
1. Kowalski (FOR) def. Veronis (SJU), 6-2, 6-4
2. Alla (FOR) def. Kessler (SJU), 6-2, 6-3
3. Mischa Koran (FOR) def. Gates (SJU), 6-1, 7-5
4. Barrus (SJU) def. Peara (FOR), 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 5. Montague (SJU) def. Tauil (FOR), 6-2, 6-2
6. Pierre Brondeau (SJU) def. Michael Puntillo (FOR), 7-6 (3), 7-5

Game Scores
Singles: Fordham 61, Saint Joseph's 60
Doubles: Saint Joseph's 23, Fordham 22
Total: Tied, 83-83