April 15, 2013

VILLANOVA, Pa. - In a tightly-contested match that was decided by a tiebreaker in the top doubles flight, the Saint Joseph's men's tennis team fell to Villanova, 4-3, on Monday afternoon. Jeff Kessler came away with a pair of wins for the Hawks, taking his sixth-flight singles and second-flight doubles matches.

Kessler teamed up with Dan Barrus for a 9-8 (10) win in the second doubles flight before winning in the sixth singles flight, 6-4, 7-6 (4), against Tim Abbracciamento.

Jose Sierra was a winner in the second singles flight, grinding out a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 result over Chris Seitz. Max Montague earned a victory in the fifth flight as well, stopping Michael Rosengren in a supertiebreaker, 6-0, 4-6, 10-6.

Sierra and Montague fell in the top doubles flight by a 9-8 (4) score to Kelly Donaldson and Thomas O'Brien in what proved to be the decisive tilt.

The Hawks wrap up the regular season slate on Tuesday at Temple.

Villanova 4, Saint Joseph's 3

Doubles
1. Thomas O'Brien / Kelly Donaldson (VU) def. Jose Sierra / Max Montague (SJU), 9-8 (4)
2. Jeff Kessler / Dan Barrus (SJU) def. Max Levine / Matt Colonnese (VU), 9-8 (10)
3. Ryan Peyton / Chris Seitz (VU) def. Tommy Gates / Andres Urrea (SJU), 8-5

Singles

1. O'Brien (VU) def. Alex Veronis (SJU), 0-6, 6-4, 6-1
2. Sierra (SJU) def. Seitz (VU), 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
3. Peyton (VU) def. Pierre Brondeau (SJU), 6-3, 6-4
4. Levine (VU) def. Gates (SJU), 7-6 (3), 6-4
5. Montague (SJU) def. Michael Rosengren (VU), 6-0, 4-6, 10-6 (STB)
6. Kessler (SJU) def. Tim Abbracciamento (VU), 6-4, 7-6 (4)

Game Scores
Singles: Saint Joseph's 68, Villanova 65
Doubles: Villanova 25, Saint Joseph's 22
Total: Tied, 90-90