SALISBURY, Md. – The Salisbury University men's tennis team earned a pair of wins on Saturday at the Salisbury University Indoor Tennis Center, defeating Virginia Wesleyan University and Bridgewater (Va.) College, each by 9-0 scores.
Salisbury 9, Virginia Wesleyan 0
The first Salisbury point of the day went to the No. 3 doubles team of freshman Brad Pappalardo and sophomore Stefan Hein. After falling behind 2-1 to begin the match, the Sea Gull pair won seven of the next nine games for an 8-4 win.
Just a moment later senior Kelson Weber and junior Patrick MacLean closed out an 8-2 win at No. 2, while Salisbury's top pair of juniors Ian Siew and Colt Williamson held off a late push at No. 1 to finish out an 8-4 win to sweep doubles play.
In singles play, Salisbury secured the team match with the first two contests, getting a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 3 from Weber and a 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 2 by Hein to get to five points. Hein fell behind in his second set, 4-3, but came up with a service break to retake the lead and held serve to close out the win.
The No. 1 singles match was the closest of the match where Virginia Wesleyan's Paul Gladstone took the first set, 6-2 against Siew, but the Salisbury junior responded by picking up the second set, 6-4. The third-set super tie-breaker went to Siew. He started with a 6-1 lead and rolled to the 10-4 win.
Salisbury was able to finish off the win with three more singles victories. MacLean rolled to a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 4 while Pappalardo powered to a 7-5, 6-1 win at No. 6 and Ryan battled back for a 6-7 (11-13), 6-2, 12-10 win at No. 5. The two victories for Pappalardo were the first two of his collegiate career.
Salisbury 9, Bridgewater 0
The Sea Gulls (3-0) rolled quickly through the Eagles (1-1) for the second win of the day. In doubles, it was quick work for the first two points with Pappalardo and Hein picking up an 8-1 win at No. 3 while Ryan and freshman Ryan Santmyer went for an 8-3 win at No. 2 - it marked Santmyer's first win in maroon and gold.
In a close match midway through, MacLean and Alec Angradi pulled away in the final games for an 8-5 win at No. 1, finishing off the doubles sweep.
MacLean and Ryan were able to seal the second win of the day for Salisbury, with wins at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. MacLean picked up a 6-1, 6-0 victory and Ryan was done moments later with his 6-0, 6-0 win.
Junior Colt Williamson was able to grind out a win at No. 1, needing tie breakers in each of his two sets, winning 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5).
Junior William Niessner earned a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 5 followed by Poppalardo, who won 6-3, 7-5 at No. 5. The match was closed out with a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 6 by freshman Wayne Russell – his first collegiate victory.
The Sea Gulls are back in action on Sunday, February 24, hosting Goucher College. That match is slated to begin at 2 p.m.
