FLUSHING, N.Y. – Continuing their cross-divisional matches against Division I competition, the Queens College men's tennis team welcomed the Rams of Fordham University to the QC Indoor Tennis Bubble Friday afternoon.
It would be a closely contested match as the Rams earned the crucial doubles point before the sides split the singles competition with four of the six matches going the distance as the Knights dropped their second match of the year to the final score of 4-3.
Having played four Division I teams in February, head coach
Somadi Druker and the Knights move to 2-2 on the young season.
DOUBLES PLAY
Queens took an early lead in doubles play as the #1 pair of junior
Alexis Martin-Gibiard (Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France) and freshman
Adam Laur (Boulogne Billancourt, France) defeated Dhillon Virdee-Oakley and Nicolas Garneir to the score of 6-1.
The Rams would battle back to tie the double competition at 1-1 as the Knights' new #2 pair of junior
Lucas Foix Sotos (Javea, Spain) and debutant junior
Viktor Ek Johansson (Stockholm, Sweden) fell short to the score of 3-6 against Phillip Uhde and Filip Horak.
Down to the #3 court between the new Knights pair of sophomore duo of
Loup Alleno (Paris, France) and
Caleb Brightman (Pawling, N.Y.) against Ruben Russworm and Will Lokier, the Knights duo would drop a hard fought double match to the score of 6-7
(5-7) as the Rams went into singles play up 1-0.
SINGLES PLAY
Ek Johansson making his single debut at #4 court would quickly tie the match 1-1 as he dispatched Stefan Stojanovic to the score of 6-3, 6-1 in straight sets.
The Rams would take a 2-1 lead as sophomore
Tim Andersson (Linkoping, Sweden) promoted to #2 singles fell short against Horak to the score of 1-6, and tough second set tiebreaker to the score of 6-7
(4-7).
Martin-Gibiard completed his undefeated day with a victory at #6 singles over Garnier. The junior won the first set to the score of 6-3 before Garnier forced the third set with a 6-4 victory. It would be a back-and-forth third set tiebreaker for the victory before Martin-Gibiard earned a 10-8 victory as the Knights tied the match at 2-2.
Once again, the Rams would retake the lead as Alleno at #3 singles fell in a three-set battle against Lokier. Alleno took the first set to the score of 6-4 before Lokier battled back to defeat Alleno to the score of 6-4, 10-3, and put the visitors up 3-2.
Down to the final two matches at #1 and #5 single court.
Foix Soto won a three-set battle at #1 singles against Virdee-Oakley. As the junior took the first set to the score of 7-5, it would be hard fought loss in the second set to the score of 6-7
(3-7) before Foix Sotos earned a 6-2 third set victory and tied the match at 3-3.
With attention now at the #5 singles between rookie
Pablo Serrano (Cochabamba, Bolivia) against Russworm, the rookie making his singles debut dropped the first set to the score of 5-7 before he shut out Russworm in the second set to the score of 6-0 to force the winner in the third set.
With the match tied at 3-3, Serrano would compete in the third set but it would be the Rams who would take the victory as Bolivian native fell to the score of 4-6 as the Rams earned a 4-3 victory over the Knights.
NEXT MATCH
Head coach
Somadi Druker and the Knights now turn their attention to Division II as they look to build their resume for May starting on Wednesday, March 5. Queens welcomes Assumption University Greyhounds to town in non-conference play. The first serve is set for 1:00 p.m.
For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics), Twitter (@QCKnights), Instagram (qcknightsny), qcmtennis (@qcmtennis)
