Drexel University Athletics
Thursday, April 2
Vidas Courts
2 p.m.
Drexel University
4
vs
3
Saint Joseph's
Photo by: Greg Carroccio
Men's Tennis Earns First 11-Win Season, Beats Saint Joseph's
4/2/2015 9:03:00 PM | Men's Tennis
PHILADELPHIA - Drexel Tennis made history Thursday as the men beat Saint Joseph's, 4-3, at Vidas Courts for their first 11-win season in program history. The Dragons' women also beat the Hawks, 4-3.
Drexel's men improve to 11-8 on the year. The women are now 13-1, just one win away from tying the program's mark for most wins in a season (14).
"On the men's side, the doubles point was very important and the entire team knew it," head coach Mehdi Rhazali said. "We almost lost it, but experience helped the seniors come back and win it. In singles, injures hurt us at the top, but we showed our depth and took care of business in the fourth, fifth and sixth singles. Senior Dan Koehler had a tough match but strong fitness and court positioning didn't let him down.
"On the women's side, we sprinted to a 4-0 to win the match to win the match; however, we had some tight matches left that didn't go our way, mainly due to lack of concentration. We need to fix that and keep up the winning journey that the women's team is having. We will be working hard on a few things that need improvement before we play the next three CAA matches.
"I'm proud of our teams and how far they have come."
Drexel's men took the all-important doubles point and the back half of the singles en route to a strong team victory. In doubles, after the Dragons fell at No. 1, Kashyap Ashok and Koehler as well as Badr Ouabdelmoumen and Daniel Hansen picked up their teammates. Ashok and Koehler earned and important 8-6 win, while Ouabdelmoumen and Hansen pulled out a hard-fought 8-7 (6) win in the tiebreak.
In singles play, it was the second half of the line-up that stole the show. After Drexel dropped the first three matches, Alex Fioravante, Hamza Laalej and Koehler brought home the historic victory. At No. 4, Fioravante won a tough 7-6 (5), 7-5 match, while Laalej won his fifth match in a row, 6-3, 6-2. Koehler took the match home in a third set tiebreak, winning, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4).
Drexel's women were also victorious over the Hawks on Thursday, 4-3. The Dragons jumped out to a fast start, winning the doubles point along with the second, third and fourth singles. In doubles, Nicole Pivonka and Clary Rodriguez Cruz returned to their winning ways with an 8-3 win. Erin Bowsher and Ryshena Providence cruised to an 8-2 victory to take the point.
In singles play, after Pivonka dropped a tough three set match, the Dragons went on a run, winning the next three matches. Bowsher, Rodriguez Cruz and Winkler each won in straight sets to give the Dragons the match. Bowsher earned a 7-6 (4), 6-1 win, Rodriguez Cruz won 7-5, 6-3 and Winkler grabbed a 7-5, 6-2 win.
The Dragons return to Colonial Athletic Association play as they travel to Hofstra on Sunday. Action begins at 12 p.m.
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Men: Drexel 4, Saint Joseph's 3
Singles
Pierre Brondeau (SJU) def. Badr Ouabdelmoumen (DU) 6-0, 6-1
Kyle Chalmers (SJU) def. Kashyap Ashok (DU) 6-3, 6-3
Andres Urrea (SJU) def. Xabier Saavedra (DU) 6-4, 6-1
Alex Fioravante (DU) def. Tristan Boustany (SJU) 7-6 (3), 7-5
Hamza Laalej (DU) def. Kevin Gates (SJU) 6-3, 6-2
Dan Koehler (DU) def. Peter Dewitt (SJU) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4)
Doubles
Urrea & Chalmers (SJU) def. Fioravante & Saavedra (DU) 8-4
Ashok & Koehler (DU) def. Moolman & Dewitt (SJU) 8-6
Ouabdelmoumen & Hansen (DU) def. Brondeau & Fallone (SJU) 8-7 (6)
Women: Drexel 4, Saint Joseph's 3
Singles
Aurora Davis (SJU) def. Nicole Pivonka (DU) 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
Erin Bowsher (DU) def. Kristina Eisenbrand (SJU) 7-6 (4), 6-1
Clary Rodriguez Cruz (DU) def. Maureen Devlin (SJU) 7-5, 6-3
Lea Winkler (DU) def. Kelly Mulquin (SJU) 7-5, 6-2
Alex Zachem (SJU) def. Ryshena Providence (DU) 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (4)
Arianne Polatnick (SJU) def. Kendra Bunch (DU) 6-2, 1-6, 10-8
Doubles
Pivonka & Rodriguez Cruz (DU) def. Davis & Zachem (SJU) 8-3
Bowsher & Rovidence (DU) def. Devlin & Devlin (SJU) 8-3
Winkler & Bunch (DU) unfinished Roy & Eisenbrand (SJU) 6-2
Drexel's men improve to 11-8 on the year. The women are now 13-1, just one win away from tying the program's mark for most wins in a season (14).
"On the men's side, the doubles point was very important and the entire team knew it," head coach Mehdi Rhazali said. "We almost lost it, but experience helped the seniors come back and win it. In singles, injures hurt us at the top, but we showed our depth and took care of business in the fourth, fifth and sixth singles. Senior Dan Koehler had a tough match but strong fitness and court positioning didn't let him down.
"On the women's side, we sprinted to a 4-0 to win the match to win the match; however, we had some tight matches left that didn't go our way, mainly due to lack of concentration. We need to fix that and keep up the winning journey that the women's team is having. We will be working hard on a few things that need improvement before we play the next three CAA matches.
"I'm proud of our teams and how far they have come."
Drexel's men took the all-important doubles point and the back half of the singles en route to a strong team victory. In doubles, after the Dragons fell at No. 1, Kashyap Ashok and Koehler as well as Badr Ouabdelmoumen and Daniel Hansen picked up their teammates. Ashok and Koehler earned and important 8-6 win, while Ouabdelmoumen and Hansen pulled out a hard-fought 8-7 (6) win in the tiebreak.
In singles play, it was the second half of the line-up that stole the show. After Drexel dropped the first three matches, Alex Fioravante, Hamza Laalej and Koehler brought home the historic victory. At No. 4, Fioravante won a tough 7-6 (5), 7-5 match, while Laalej won his fifth match in a row, 6-3, 6-2. Koehler took the match home in a third set tiebreak, winning, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4).
Drexel's women were also victorious over the Hawks on Thursday, 4-3. The Dragons jumped out to a fast start, winning the doubles point along with the second, third and fourth singles. In doubles, Nicole Pivonka and Clary Rodriguez Cruz returned to their winning ways with an 8-3 win. Erin Bowsher and Ryshena Providence cruised to an 8-2 victory to take the point.
In singles play, after Pivonka dropped a tough three set match, the Dragons went on a run, winning the next three matches. Bowsher, Rodriguez Cruz and Winkler each won in straight sets to give the Dragons the match. Bowsher earned a 7-6 (4), 6-1 win, Rodriguez Cruz won 7-5, 6-3 and Winkler grabbed a 7-5, 6-2 win.
The Dragons return to Colonial Athletic Association play as they travel to Hofstra on Sunday. Action begins at 12 p.m.
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Men: Drexel 4, Saint Joseph's 3
Singles
Pierre Brondeau (SJU) def. Badr Ouabdelmoumen (DU) 6-0, 6-1
Kyle Chalmers (SJU) def. Kashyap Ashok (DU) 6-3, 6-3
Andres Urrea (SJU) def. Xabier Saavedra (DU) 6-4, 6-1
Alex Fioravante (DU) def. Tristan Boustany (SJU) 7-6 (3), 7-5
Hamza Laalej (DU) def. Kevin Gates (SJU) 6-3, 6-2
Dan Koehler (DU) def. Peter Dewitt (SJU) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4)
Doubles
Urrea & Chalmers (SJU) def. Fioravante & Saavedra (DU) 8-4
Ashok & Koehler (DU) def. Moolman & Dewitt (SJU) 8-6
Ouabdelmoumen & Hansen (DU) def. Brondeau & Fallone (SJU) 8-7 (6)
Women: Drexel 4, Saint Joseph's 3
Singles
Aurora Davis (SJU) def. Nicole Pivonka (DU) 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
Erin Bowsher (DU) def. Kristina Eisenbrand (SJU) 7-6 (4), 6-1
Clary Rodriguez Cruz (DU) def. Maureen Devlin (SJU) 7-5, 6-3
Lea Winkler (DU) def. Kelly Mulquin (SJU) 7-5, 6-2
Alex Zachem (SJU) def. Ryshena Providence (DU) 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (4)
Arianne Polatnick (SJU) def. Kendra Bunch (DU) 6-2, 1-6, 10-8
Doubles
Pivonka & Rodriguez Cruz (DU) def. Davis & Zachem (SJU) 8-3
Bowsher & Rovidence (DU) def. Devlin & Devlin (SJU) 8-3
Winkler & Bunch (DU) unfinished Roy & Eisenbrand (SJU) 6-2
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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