Box Score
Bronx, N.Y. - The Adelphi University men's tennis team traveled to Division I Fordham University on Saturday to compete against the Rams in a non-conference contest. In a match played by Division I rules, the Panthers only trailed by a 1-0 score after losing all three doubles matches. In singles, the Brown and Gold played tough but dropped four of six matches to fall by a 5-2 score. With the loss, the Panthers drop to 0-2 on the year while the Rams improve to 1-2.
The Panthers were largely overmatched on the doubles court, but Sander Brenner and Uladzislau Litvinchuk gave JJ Tauil and Alastair Barnes all they could handle at second doubles before eventually succumbing by an 8-6 score.
Brenner was a bright spot for Adelphi in singles, as he rallied from a set down to defeat Kuba Kowalski at first singles 4-6, 6-1, 10-8. Kowalski had been ranked as high as #12 in the ITA Division I Northeast Regional Rankings last season.
Litvinchuk picked up the other win for the Panthers at third singles, as he was leading 6-3, 2-1 in the match when Alastair Barnes was forced to retire. Chiwete Njokanma played well enough to force extra games in both sets against Michael Puntillo at fourth singles, but fell by a tight 7-5, 7-6 score.
Match Results
Singles
1. Sander Brenner (ADE) d. Kuba Kowalski (FOR) 4-6, 6-1, 10-3
2. Matty Najfield (FOR) d. Richard Ferguson (ADE) 6-0, 6-0
3. Uladzislau Litvinchuk (ADE) d. Alastair Barnes (FOR) 6-3, 2-1 retired
4. Michael Puntillo (FOR) d. Chiwete Njokanma (ADE) 7-5, 7-6
5. JJ Tauil (FOR) d. Justin Vijungco (ADE) 6-1, 6-2
6. Max Peara (FOR) d. Ryan Villarruel (ADE) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
1. Kowalski/Najfeld (FOR) d. Ferguson/Vijungco (ADE) 8-3
2. Tauil/Barnes (FOR) d. Brenner/Litvinchuk (ADE) 8-6
3. Puntillo/Peara (FOR) d. Njokanma/Villarruel (ADE) 8-3
Coach's Quotes
"It was a sentimental match for me as Fordham is my alma mater, but we managed to make it a competitive match with a solid DI university," Head Coach Michael Misiti stated. "I think if we progress as we should, we can defeat them in the future. Sander Brenner, our number 1, defeated a top 100 individually ranked NCAA player in the country. This is a huge win for him and shows he can play with the best Division I players in the nation. I am very proud of his work and the huge win. Our doubles still needs to improve as we still don't have the chemistry needed to win doubles points."
Up Next
The Panthers return to action on Friday, October 4 when they host Chestnut Hill College in a 1 pm non-conference match.
