NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Despite earning the doubles point, the Sacred Heart men's tennis team dropped its Northeast Conference opener to Fairleigh Dickinson 6-1 on Saturday evening at Yale University. The loss snaps a two game winning streak for SHU, which is now 2-8 in dual play. The Knights, chosen second in the NEC preseason coaches' poll, improve to 6-7.
Powered by 8-5 victories from the duos of Brian Power and Matt Dean, and Francisco Del Valle Diaz and Karan Narula at second and third doubles respectively, the Pioneers went into singles play ahead 1-0. Power and Dean have now won two straight while Diaz and Narula are winners of three in a row.
From there it was all Fairleigh Dickinson, who won all six matches in straight sets. The closest losses for Sacred Heart were by Diaz and Narula, who each forced their opponent to win seven games in each set. Playing at sixth singles, Diaz was on the losing end of two straight tiebreakers, 7-6, 7-6. Narula also dropped two close sets, losing 7-6, 7-5 in fifth singles. Dean was defeated, 6-4, 6-4, at third singles.
The Pioneers continue conference play next Friday, when they host Wagner at 3 pm in what will also be their home opener. Sunday's scheduled match at Rider was postponed earlier this week, and will be now played on April 2 at 3 pm.
Singles
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1. BERZINS (FDU) def. PAGAN, Justin (SHU) 6-1, 6-3
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2. WHALLEY (FDU) def. PILOTE, Mathieu (SHU) 6-0, 6-0
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3. CHAN (FDU) def. DEAN, Matt (SHU) 6-4, 6-4
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4. QUINTANA (FDU) def. POWER, Brian (SHU) 6-1, 6-2
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5. GARNEL (FDU) def. NARULA, Karan (SHU) 7-6, 7-5
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6. VALENTIN (FDU) def. DEL VALLE, Francisco (SHU) 7-6, 7-6
Doubles
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1. BERZINS/WHALLEY (FDU) def. PILOTE, Mathieu/PAGAN, Justin (SHU) 8-1
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2. POWER, Brian/DEAN, Matt (SHU) def. GARNEL/VALENTIN (FDU) 8-5
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3. DEL VALLE, Francisco/NARULA, Karan (SHU) def. CHAN/BOURNE (FDU) 8-5
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