After winning 15-consecutive Northeast Conference matches, the Fairleigh Dickinson University men's tennis team was stunned, 4-2, Saturday, April 18 by fourth-seeded Monmouth University in West Windsor, NJ.
Despite taking the double point, the top-seeded Knights lost four singles matches at the Mercer County Tennis Center and saw their season conclude in the NEC Tournament semifinals. For the first time since 2005, Fairleigh Dickinson will not appear in the league title match.
Sophomore Matt Gordon (London, England/Mill Hill County) and freshman Andrew Denny (Bingley, England/Bradford Grammar) united for an 8-6 decision in No. 1 doubles versus Benjamin Evenden and Ian Terpilowski. In second doubles, freshman Marco Jemersic (Zagreb, Croatia/X Gimnazija Ivan Supek) and sophomore Alex Jorne (Rochester, NY/Brighton) took down Vik Gupta and Laurance Heads, 8-5.
“We were feeling confident after taking doubles point, but Monmouth played well in singles,” Head Coach Ira Miller said. “We made a late adjustment in our singles line-up due to injury and that changed some of the match-ups ? but that's sports. We had a good season, and we have a young team that will look forward to next year.”
Gordon collected a 6-3, 7-6 (11-9) victory versus Evenden in the first flight of singles. Jorne was playing a hotly contested No. 4 match when things were halted.
For complete results, please scroll down.
The Hawks improved to 7-12 on the year and avenged their 5-2 loss on March 31 to FDU. Monmouth plays No. 2 Sacred Heart University for the league hardware and an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Fairleigh Dickinson returns eight letter winners for the 2009-10 campaign.
Singles
1. GORDON, Matt (FDU) def. EVENDEN, Benjamin (MU) 6-3, 7-6 (11-9)
2. GUPTA, Vik (MU) def. DENNY, Andrew (FDU) 6-3, 6-2
3. FORREST, Corey (MU) def. BOLINDER, Markus (FDU) 7-5, 6-3
4. JORNE, Alex (FDU) vs. HEADS, Laurance (MU) 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 3-4, unfinished
5. SHERWOOD, David (MU) def. ADACHI, Keiichiro (FDU) 2-6, 6-2, 7-5
6. TERPILOWSKI, Ian (MU) def. QUESADA, Daniel (FDU) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
1. GORDON, Matt/DENNY, Andrew (FDU) def. EVENDEN, Benjamin/TERPILOWSKI, Ian (MU) 8-6
2. JEMERSIC, Marco/JORNE, Alex (FDU) def. GUPTA, Vik/HEADS, Laurance (MU) 8-5
3. MCLANE, Tim/SHERWOOD, David (MU) def. BOLINDER, Markus/ADACHI, Keiichiro (FDU) 8-5
Match Notes
2009 NEC Tennis Championships - Match 15 - Semifinals
