The Fairleigh Dickinson University men's tennis team defeated home-standing Queens College, 5-4, Friday, Feb. 9. The Knights of Teaneck (5-3) played a nine-point match (each doubles match counting as one point) versus the national powerhouse Knights of the Division II ranks.
Queens entered the contest ranked 34th in Division II, led by a trio of Top 10 regional standouts whom headline its Top 3 Singles slots.
Freshman Phillip Stephens (London, England) stunned Wojciech Stuchlik (ninth-ranked in D-II) in First Singles, 6-3, 6-4. Sophomore Esteban Blanco (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Asociacion Escuelas Lincoln) (Buenes Aires, Argentina) dropped Arturo Hainlme in No. 6 Singles, 6-7 (7-4), 6-1, 6-4.
Freshman Kyle Eddins (Tampa, FL/Saddlebrook Prep) (Tampa, FL) ultimately clinched the match with a 6-7 (8-6), 6-4, 7-5 victory in Fifth Singles against Jimmy Delevante.
Freshman Priit Gross (Tartu, Estonia/Miina Harma) (Tartu, Estonia) fell, 6-1, 6-4, versus William Almeyda in No. 2 Singles. Freshman Alexander Nace (San Jose, Costa Rica/Country Day School) (San Jose, Costa Rica) lost to Lucas Monaes, 6-1, 6-4, in Third Singles and junior Justin Seow (Johor Bahru, Malaysia/Brisbane - Australia) (Johor Bahru, Malaysia) was topped by Costas Efstathiou, 6-4, 6-4, in No. 4 Singles.
In No. 1 Doubles action, Stephens and Nace lost to Stuchlik and Almeyda, 8-4, before FDU rebounded for two points in the final two doubles contests.
Gross and Eddins paired to best Monaes and Hainlme, 8-6, followed by a 9-8 (7-3) win by the Third Doubles tandem of Seow and Blanco over Efstathiou and Delevante
“It was great to squeak out the final doubles point with tiebreaker in No. 3 Doubles,” Head Coach Ira Miller said. “Phil played unbelievable in First Singles and Kyle stepped up to close things out on four-straight points. I'm also very proud of the way Kyle and Esteban rebounded to take two points with great comebacks.”
Fairleigh Dickinson is idle until Saturday, Feb. 24 when the squad travels to Ithaca, NY to take on Cornell at 3:00 p.m.
