April 9, 2013

MERION STATION, Pa. - The Saint Joseph's men's tennis team leveled its record at 9-9 on Tuesday as the Hawks topped crosstown rival La Salle by a 7-0 score at the SJU Tennis Complex. SJU dropped just one set en route to the win.

Graduate student Jeff Kessler earned a pair of wins, teaming up with junior Dan Barrus for a dominating 8-1 victory at second doubles before posting a 6-4, 6-1 win at sixth singles.

Seniors Alex Veronis and Tommy Gates were winners as well; Veronis took a 6-2, 6-1 result in the first singles flight while Gates battled from a set down to take the fourth flight in a tiebreaker. Gates also teamed up with freshman Andres Urrea for an 8-5 win in third doubles.

Junior Jose Sierra won his top-flight singles match, 6-3, 6-1, and teamed with sophomore Max Montague in first doubles to earn an 8-3 victory. Montague and classmate Pierre Brondeau took their singles matches as well; Brondeau won, 6-0, 6-3, in the third flight, while Montague won the fifth flight tilt, 6-3, 6-1.

After playing three matches in three days, the Hawks will get a brief respite before they host St. Francis of New York at noon on Saturday.

Saint Joseph's 7, La Salle 0

Doubles
1. Max Montague / Jose Sierra (SJU) def. Trevor Donovan / DeSean Fennell (LAS), 8-3
2. Dan Barrus / Jeff Kessler (SJU) def. Chas Berenato / Joseph Labate (LAS), 8-1
3. Tommy Gates / Andres Urrea (SJU) def. Thomas MacLeod / Hunter Selman (LAS), 8-5

Singles
1. Alex Veronis (SJU) def. LaBate (LAS), 6-2, 6-1
2. Sierra (SJU) def. Fennell (LAS), 6-3, 6-1
3. Pierre Brondeau (SJU) def. Berenato (LAS), 6-0, 6-3
4. Gates (SJU) def. Donovan (LAS), 6-7 (2), 6-4, 1-0 (STB)
5. Montague (SJU) def. Dale Fetterman (LAS), 6-3, 6-1
6. Kessler (SJU) def. Robert Kasinow (LAS), 6-4, 6-1

Game Scores
Singles: Saint Joseph's 73, La Salle 30
Doubles: Saint Joseph's 24, La Salle 9
Total: Saint Joseph's 97, La Salle 39