VILLANOVA, Pa. – The Saint Joseph's men's tennis team opened its fall slate over the weekend with the annual Villanova Invitational.
 
The tournament matches were contested in a mixed format consisting of two singles and one doubles match, with the duo winning two out of three moving on.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Justus Agbo and Alejandro Vedri were winners over a pairing from Lehigh in their opening Blue Draw contest; the Hawks then fell to a Bucknell duo in the quarterfinals and a pairing from Villanova in their consolation match.
 
• Inigo Diaz and Nassim Fenjiro were in the Blue Draw as well, dropping their opening tilt to a team from Lehigh.  The Hawk duo would claim a consolation bracket win over a pairing from Colgate before falling to an entry from Lafayette.
 
• In White Draw action, Jack Campbell, Eli Gan-Dy, and Mark Rubin teamed up and fell in their opening match to a group from Lehigh.  However, the trio earned a win over a pairing from Lafayette in the consolation bracket.
 
HAWK TALK
"We had a good tournament overall," head coach Marc Pibernat said.  "It's the first one of the season and is always a good indicator of where the players stand after coming back from the summer break.  As far as the new players in the team, it was the perfect scenario for them to get those first matches under their belts and see what kind of doubles chemistry they have with their teammates.
 
"As I said, it was a positive weekend, but there are still things that we need to improve and we will continue to work this week to be better for our next tournament at Navy."
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks will send a contingent to the Joe Hunt Invitational, hosted by the U.S. Naval Academy, beginning on Friday.
 
RESULTS
 
Blue Draw
Aristotalis Benzianis / Jordan Paul (Lehigh) def. Justus Agbo / Alejandro Vedri (Saint Joseph's), 6-3
Vedri def. Paul, 6-1, 6-2
Agbo def. Benzianis, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 10-4 (STB)
Saint Joseph's wins, 2-1
 
Brendan McDonald / Nick Muller (Bucknell) def. Agbo / Vedri (SJU), 6-4
Muller def. Vedri via walkover
McDonald def. Agbo, 6-3, 4-6, 10-3 (STB)
Bucknell wins, 3-0
 
Inigo Diaz / Nassim Fenjiro (SJU) def. Matt Kleiman / Jeremy Learner (Lehigh), 6-3
Kleiman def. Fenjiro, 1-6, 6-4, 10-5 (STB)
Learner def. Diaz, 0-6, 6-2, 10-2 (STB)
Lehigh wins, 2-1
 
Josh Israel / Aidan Lee (Colgate) def. Diaz / Fenjiro (SJU), 6-3
Fenjiro def. Lee, 6-0, 7-5
Diaz def. Israel, 6-1, 6-3
Saint Joseph's wins, 2-1
 
Diaz / Fenjiro (SJU) def. Connor McLeod / Brady Wisdom (Lafayette), 6-4
Wisdom def. Fenjiro via walkover
McLeod def. Diaz via walkover
Lafayette wins, 2-1
 
White Draw
David Missry / Steven Nazaroff (Lehigh) def. Jack Campbell / Eli Gan-Dy (SJU), 6-0
Nazaroff def. Gan-Dy, 6-4, 6-2
Mark Rubin def. Missry, 8-2
Lehigh wins, 2-1
 
Gan-Dy/Rubin (SJU) def. Sam Gelber / William Woolley (Lafayette), 6-4
Campbell def. Woolley, 6-3, 6-3
Rubin def. Gelber, 6-4, 6-3
Saint Joseph's wins, 3-0