MEDIA, Pa. – The Saint Joseph's men's tennis team played its first home match of the indoor season on Thursday morning, falling to Temple by a 5-2 score.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Othman Bezzaz and Ernesto Ruy started things off with a win in the top doubles flight, but the Owls won the second and third to secure the first point of the day.
 
• Temple claimed the first singles decision of the match but Santiago Valle notched a straight sets victory in the fourth flight to cut the deficit in half.
 
• Unfortunately for the Crimson and Gray, Temple would clinch the necessary points to win the match before Bezzaz finished off his third-flight opponent in three sets to close out play.
 
HAWK TALK
"Tough one today," head coach Jeff Puhan said.  "We knew this would be a battle.  We had our chances again to win the doubles point.  Outstanding play by Santiago and Othman to pull out singles wins.  Justus played a hard-fought, physical battle in the top flight as well.
 
"We are getting close, but still have a lot to improve to get over the hump.  Now on to Penn on Sunday."
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks visit Penn on Sunday evening.
 
RESULTS
 
Temple 5, Saint Joseph's 2
 
Doubles
1. Othman Bezzaz / Ernesto Ruy (Saint Joseph's) def. Martim Marujo / Adam Kresina (Temple), 6-3
2. Aayush Bhat / Pranav Nemani (TU) def. Justus Agbo / Santiago Valle (SJU), 6-3
3.Dante Russo / Maj Najvirt Kolaric (TU) def. Matthew Cizmarik / Matthew Dubas (SJU), 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
 
Singles
1. Marujo (TU) def. Agbo (SJU), 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-4
2. Kresina (TU) def. Ruy (SJU), 6-2, 6-0
3. Bezzaz (SJU) def. Kolaric (TU), 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-3
4. Valle (SJU) def. Bhat (TU), 6-3, 6-4
5. Russo (TU) def. Dubas (SJU), 7-6 (3), 6-3
6. Alberto Blumenschein (TU) def. Cizmarik (SJU), 7-6 (4), 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 4, 6, 5, 1, 3