Results
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A pair of inspiring doubles wins and a stirring performance in singles action vaulted the Eckerd College men's tennis program to its first win of the spring over Bentley (Mass.) University on Monday, 6-3.
The Tritons (1-6 overall) ended a frustrating streak versus the Falcons (3-4 overall) after challenging nationally-ranked competition from the Sunshine State Conference for the duration of the spring.
As a team, Eckerd collected its first regular-season victory since defeating Northwood (Fla.) University (3/11) in 2011. The Tritons had defeated Florida Tech in postseason play the same year in the second round of the SSC Championship.
Today's match was a re-scheduled dual from Sunday after winter weather up north affected Bentley's original travel plans.
Sophomore
Stephen Felman bounced back from a second-set setback and blanked Bentley's Jimmy Rindo with a 6-0 third-set showing. Felman was joined in the win column by a trio of newcomers,
Jonathan Cheng,
Frazier Springfield and
Luke Burton.
Springfield and Burton both picked up their team-leading second singles victory on the season in the No. 3 and No. 6 matchups, respectively.
Cheng went an extra game to grab the early momentum against Alex DeMuth in the No. 5 singles slot and finished strong with a 6-1 decision in the clinching set.
The Falcons rolled out some different team members in doubles as the Tritons nearly swept after a tiebreak gave Bentley one point in the No. 1 duel.
Appropriately, Springfield and Burton took care of business, 8-4, while senior
Ben Levy and junior
Madison Durley teamed up for an 8-6 victory.
The Tritons are back home on Thursday with a 3 p.m. start against the University of Southern Indiana. USI and Eckerd also met last year at the Turley Athletic Complex.
