SALISBURY, Md. – The Salisbury University men's tennis team dropped a 7-2 Capital Athletic Conference decision to No. 14 University of Mary Washington on Thursday at the SU Tennis Courts.
The Eagles (15-2, 6-0 CAC) were able to take the first two doubles points, but not without a fight from Salisbury. The first point went at No. 3 where Ryan Berry and Cole Tecce outlasted junior Kelson Weber and freshman Stefan Hein for an 8-6 win.
Sophomores Ian Siew and Colt Williamson held a one-game lead near the midway point of their No. 1 doubles contest, but a service break pushed the advantage to the Mary Washington pair of Ryland Byrd and Michael Fleming, and the Eagle duo held on for the 8-6 win.
At No. 2, Mary Washington's Joseph Brown and Moses Hutchinson held a 7-6 lead, serving for the match, but Salisbury sophomores Patrick MacLean and Matthew Ryan broke serve to square the match at 7-7. It went to a tie-breaker, where Salisbury pulled away and MacLean served out the match for a 9-8 (7-2) win.
In singles play, the Eagles again were forced to work for their points, but claimed the first three singles matches to seal the team victory. Byrd was able to pick up a 7-5, 6-3 win against Weber at No. 5 just seconds before Fleming finished off a 6-3, 7-5 win against MacLean at No. 4 for a 4-1 Mary Washington lead.
Williamson took his opening set at No. 1 to a tie breaker, but ultimately fell in straight sets 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 giving the Eagles their fifth point.
Ryan dropped his No. 6 match, 6-3, 6-4 before Siew came up with the second point of the day for Salisbury (9-4, 2-1 CAC) at the No. 2 singles spot. After taking the opening set 6-3, he dropped the second set 6-4, but claimed the third set with a 10-7 score to pick up the point.
The final match on court was at No. 3 where Hein won the opening set 6-2, but dropped the next two by scores of 6-3 and 7-6 (7-4).
The Sea Gulls are back in action for a pair of CAC matches on Friday, April 6, traveling to York College of Pennsylvania and Penn State University-Harrisburg. Those matches were scheduled for Saturday, but were moved up one day due to incoming weather.
