Men’s Tennis Clips Western New England Behind Paterno's Three-Set Triumph
QUINCY, Mass.- Senior Kevin Paterno (Buenos Aires, Argentina) netted the match-clinching point with a singles win in three sets to power the Eastern Nazarene College men's tennis team to a 5-4 victory over Western New England Wednesday afternoon at the ENC Tennis Courts in a pivotal conference clash.
The Lions improve to 8-6 on the year and 2-2 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. The Golden Bears drop to 6-3 overall and 2-2 in league contests with the loss.
The home team posted two doubles victories to hold a 2-1 edge heading into singles.
Alex Partyka (Moscow, Russia) and Vladislav Tolmachev (Perm, Russia) topped Justin Kohut and Andres Otero 8-6 at the No. 1 doubles spot. Shaw Campbell (Redding, Calif.) and Yahalel Carter (Chicago, Ill.) prevailed 8-6 at the third doubles position over Drew Berg and Nick Raschilla.
Andres Biondi (Barquisimeto, Venezuela)and Paterno fell to Alexander Sause and Chris Spear at the No. 2 doubles slot, 8-4.
Both squads recorded three singles wins as Eastern Nazarene secured a 5-4 victory.
Partyka downed Otero at the top singles position 6-4, 6-2 and Campbell cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win at the fifth spot against Kevin Yawgel.
Paterno notched the decisive fifth point with a three-set victory at the No. 3 slot against Spear. The senior claimed the first set 6-3 before dropping the second set 7-6 after coming up short in the tie-breaker. Paterno battled back to win the third frame 6-3 to rack up his team-leading eighth singles victory of the year.
Tolmachev absorbed a narrow loss in three sets at the No. 2 singles match to Sause. Tolmachev earned a 7-5 win in the opening set before conceding the second 6-3 and the third-set super-tiebreaker 10-8.
Biondi and Brandon Jenkins (Norton, Mass.) both suffered straight-set losses at the fourth and sixth singles spots, respectively.
Up next, Eastern Nazarene steps out of conference play to battle UMass-Boston at home April 14.