Defiance Splits Pair of Matches

HILTON HEAD, S.C.  --  The Defiance College men's tennis team continued its play at the Spring Tennis Fest in Hilton Head, S.C. with a pair of matches, defeating DeSales (Pa.) University, 9-0, but falling to Penn State-Behrend in a marathon match, 5-4.

Against DeSales, Defiance (2-5) took a sizeable advantage right from the start by sweeping all three doubles matches.  Senior James DeMeo (Oregon/Clay) and junior Adam Swisher (Bedford, Mich./Bedford) captured their first doubles match with a convincing final score of 8-1.  Seniors Tory Savage (Bryan) and Daniel Fabelo (Hamilton/Badin) played a closer match at second doubles, but were still able to come away with an 8-4 victory.  Senior Brian Kurtz (Sandusky/Perkins) and junior Eline Wideman (Tiffin/Tiffin Columbian) completed the sweep with an 8-0 shutout at third doubles.

The Yellow Jackets continued the momentum in the singles matches by winning all six matchups and all in straight sets.  DeMeo made quick work of his opponent at first singles with scores of 6-1 and 6-0.  Swisher and Height both won their respective matches at second and sixth singles by the scores of 6-2 and 6-0.  

Savage posted a sizeable 6-1 victory in his first set at third singles and would have a closer second set, but went on to win by the final of 6-3.  Widman recorded a pair of 6-2 set wins in his fourth singles match to claim another point for DC.  Kurtz would have the closest matchup of the contest at fifth singles defeating his opponent in a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-3).  He then went on to claim the match with a 6-3 victory in the second set as Defiance went on to the 9-0 overall match victory.

Against PSU-Behrend, the Jackets found themselves in a close battle as the match lasted over four hours.  DC trailed 2-1 after the doubles matches with the Jackets' win coming at third doubles with the duo of Widman and Kurtz prevailing by a final score of 8-5.  DeMeo and Swisher were edged in their first doubles matchup that needed a tiebreaker to decide the winner, but the Lions came out with the win, 9-8 (10-3).  Savage and Fabelo played a competitive second doubles match, but would fall short, 8-4.

DeMeo and Swisher captured victories for DC at first and second singles that included a three-set win by Swisher with a 14-12 victory in the third set to decide the winner (1-6, 6-0 and 14-12).  DeMeo won both of his sets by the scores of 7-5 to claim his victory.  The other win for Defiance in singles play came at sixth singles with senior Nathan Height (Wabash, Ind./Wabash) defeating his opponent, 1-6, 6-1 and 10-3.

The remaining three singles matches were all won by PSU-Behrend (6-4)  despite a hardfought matchup at third singles by Savage who after dropping his first set, 6-3, forced his opponent to extra points in set number two falling by the final of 7-5.  Widman and Kurtz both were defeated in their matches at fourth and fifth singles by identical scores of 6-3 and 6-1.

Defiance will wrap-up its competition in Hilton Head, S.C. tomorrow (Thursday, Mar. 9) when it takes on Roanoke (Va.) College in a match that is scheduled for 10 a.m.