Men' Tennis Falls to Richmond, 4-1, in A-10 Quarterfinals

MASON, Ohio – The Saint Joseph's men's tennis team wrapped up its 2015 campaign on Friday, falling to top-seeded Richmond, 4-1, in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Men's Tennis Championship at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.

Richmond (17-6) got an early leg up, taking the first two doubles matches to win the doubles point.

“I think the match hung on the doubles point,” head coach Ian Crookenden said after the match. “We were able to win it before [when the Hawks and Spiders met in February], but it was another tough battle and we lost it this time.”

After the Spiders doubled their lead with a win in the fifth flight, Kevin Gates won easily in the sixth flight, 6-2, 6-2, over Alex Hahn to earn a point for Saint Joseph's (10-10). Unfortunately for the Hawks, Richmond came away with wins in the top two flights to clinch the match.

“Richmond has exceptional talent in the one and two spots, and they took the momentum by winning the first singles match,” Crookenden said. “The doubles point really made a difference because we certainly could have won three of the singles matches. Andres [Urrea] was ahead in the fourth flight [when the match was called], and Kyle [Chalmers] was in a good position to head to a third set at number three.”

Urrea led Caleb Troy, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 5-3 in the fourth flight, while Chalmers dropped the first set of his third-flight match to Canyon Teague in a tiebreak but led the second set, 5-4, when play was called.

“It was a tough match against a strong opponent and it concluded another successful season for Hawk men's tennis,” Crookenden said.

#1 Richmond 4, #8 Saint Joseph's 1

Doubles

1. Ethan Dunbar / Jacob Dunbar (UR) def. Kyle Chalmers / Andres Urrea (SJU), 8-4

2. Peter Dewitt / Renier Moolman (SJU) led James Aronson / Canyon Teague (UR), 6-5, unfinished

3. Jon Quenard / Dylan Trent (UR) def. Pierre Brondeau / Mike Fallone (SJU), 8-6

Order of Finish: 1, 3

Singles

1. E. Dunbar (UR) def. Moolman (SJU), 7-6 (4), 6-2

2. J. Dunbar (UR) def. Brondeau (SJU), 6-0, 6-4

3. Teague (UR) led Chalmers (SJU), 7-6 (4), 4-5, unfinished

4. Urrea (SJU) led Caleb Troy (UR), 6-3, 6-7 (5), 5-3, unfinished