#8 Wesleyan Too Much for Wilkes Men's Tennis
MIDDLEBURY, CT – The Wilkes University men's tennis team had a tough task on Sunday as they traveled to #8 Wesleyan University to test themselves against one of the best teams in the country. The Cardinals showed they were worthy of that ranking as they blanked the Colonels 9-0 in a match that was scheduled to better prepare the navy and gold for the NCAA Tournament in May.
The loss drops Wilkes to 4-4 overall while Wesleyan improves to 7-1.
The Cardinals set the tone in doubles as they took all three points by blanking #2 Braddock Chow (Glen Cove, NY/Glen Cove) and Mike Ellis (Phoenixville, PA/Phoenixville) 0-8, dispatching #1 Courtney Murphy (Bronx, NY/Christopher Columbus) and Andrew MacDonald (Bridgeton, NJ/Cumberland Regional) 1-8 and earning the sweep by doubling up #3 Chris Maderitz (York, PA/Central York) and Jonathan White (Saylorsburg, PA/Pleasant Valley) 4-8.
Wesleyan used that momentum at the beginning of singles play as they made quick work of #4 Larry Scartz (Woodbridge, VA/Home School) and #5 Jack Maline (Northport, NY/Northport) by identical 0-6, 0-6 scores to clinch the match.
After #2 Maderitz dropped his match 1-6, 0-6 the remaining Colonels players started to take some games from the Cardinals as #3 White fell 3-6 in his first set before losing 1-6 in the second.
#6 Colin Greenman (Glen Gardner, NJ/Voorhees) had an impressive showing for the navy and gold as he took five games from his opponent before eventually falling 3-6, 2-6.
#1 Murphy provided the most resistance in singles action as he lost the first set 3-6 but bounced back to push his opponent to a second set tiebreaker that he ultimately dropped 4-7 to lose the second set 6-7 (4-7).
The next Colonels match will be their Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom opener as they head to FDU-Florham on Saturday, March 30th for a noon first serve.
