CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Saint Joseph's men's tennis team advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2016 Atlantic 10 Men's Tennis Championship with a 4-0 win over 11th-seeded Fordham at the Boar's Head Sports Club on Thursday afternoon.
With the win, the sixth-seeded Hawks will meet third-seeded Richmond on Friday at 1:30 p.m.
Saint Joseph's took the doubles point with relative ease, as Tristan Boustany and Kyle Chalmers won their third-flight match at love before Peter Dewitt and Andres Urrea clinched the point with a 6-2 win in the second.
The Hawks locked down the match with wins in the first three singles matches played to completion. Kevin Gates rolled to a 6-0, 6-2 win in the sixth flight, while freshman Andre Fick made his postseason debut with a 6-1, 7-5 triumph in the flight.
Chalmers finished the proceedings with a straight-sets win in the third, 7-5, 6-1, giving the Hawks the shutout and a berth in the quarterfinals.
“It is Championship time, and everyone knows it is win or go home; nobody took that message to heart better than the Fordham Rams team,” head coach Ian Crookenden said. “They came to play, and I was especially pleased that our Hawk men withstood a ferocious attempt at a comeback after we took the doubles point with a strong showing to kick off the match.
“Once singles started we scored quickly at number with a dominant display from senior Kevin Gates. Then freshman Andre Fick withstood a strong second set challenge at the five-spot before putting his match away. It was junior Kyle Chalmers sealing the win after a tight first set that closed out the match.
“We are glad to be through to the quarterfinals, and now it will be third-seeded Richmond who will feel the heat, as we have come through a tough match and will play tomorrow in a more relaxed state,” Crookenden concluded.
#6 Saint Joseph's 4, #11 Fordham 0
Doubles
1. Renier Moolman / Dan Tan (SJU) vs. Pedro Alonso / Nick Borak (FOR), 3-3, DNF
2. Andres Urrea / Peter Dewitt (SJU) def. Tomas Cosmai / Joe Kavaloski (FOR), 6-2
3. Kyle Chalmers / Tristan Boustany (SJU) def. Victor Li / Cameron Posillico (FOR), 6-0
Order of Finish: 3, 2
Singles
1. Cosmai (FOR) led Moolman (SJU), 6-2, 6-6, DNF
2. Li (FOR) led Urrea (SJU), 2-6, 6-3, 4-2, DNF
3. Chalmers (SJU) def. Alonso (FOR), 7-5, 6-1
4. Boustany (SJU) led Borak (FOR), 6-3, 6-6 (7-8), DNF
5. Andre Fick (SJU) def. Kavaloski (FOR), 6-1, 7-5
6. Kevin Gates (SJU) def. Posillico (FOR), 6-0, 6-2
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 3
Game Scores
Singles: Saint Joseph's 69, Fordham 47
Doubles: Saint Joseph's 15, Fordham 5
Total: Saint Joseph's 84, Fordham 52
