Stevens Comes up Short at No. 27 Skidmore, 6-3

Stevens Comes up Short at No. 27 Skidmore, 6-3

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Mark Becker

Box score

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (April 13, 2013) – Freshman Matthew Heinrich (Hendersonville, Tenn.) was the Ducks’ only double-winner in his first career match at first singles, also teaming with senior Chris Rosensteel (East Windsor, N.J.) to pick up the win at first doubles, as the Stevens Institute of Technology men’s tennis team came up short at No. 27 Skidmore College, 6-3.

Skidmore improves to 7-6 this spring while Stevens falls back to .500 at 6-6, with all six losses coming to nationally ranked teams as the Ducks continue their quest for their first-ever win over a ranked opponent.

Heinrich and Rosensteel, ranked the No. 3 doubles pairing in the Northeast region on Thursday, kicked things off with a decisive 8-1 victory at first doubles.  Neither the second doubles pairing of freshman Ben Foran (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) and senior Shota Tasaki (Greenwich, Conn.) nor the third doubles duo of freshman Tyler Tisdale (Grapevine, Texas) and junior Derek Smith (Boise, Idaho) were as fortunate, however, dropping their matches 8-4 and 8-2, respectively, to give Skidmore the 2-1 edge heading into singles play.  Foran and Tasaki stayed on serve until 5-4, when they were broken twice to end the match.

Heinrich, ranked the No. 15 singles player in the Northeast, righted the ship with a big 6-2, 6-3 win at first singles over the No. 25 singles player in the region in junior Jimmy Sherpa (West Vancouver, B.C.).  The rookie went up a break early and ended the first set on another break to get the win.

Tasaki dominated at fourth singles (6-2, 6-1) to put the Ducks on top, but the rest of the Ducks were dispatched in quick succession.  Rosensteel and Foran fell at second (6-3, 7-5) and third (6-2, 6-4) singles, respectively, and Smith was beaten  6-3, 6-0 at sixth singles to seal the win for Skidmore.  Tisdale came back from a set down to force a third at fifth singles, but ultimately fell, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.

Head Coach Steve Gachko and the Ducks (7-6, 2-0 Empire 8) will look to bounce back at home tomorrow, Sunday, April 14 as they host a pair of Empire 8 rivals in Ithaca College (2-10, 1-0) and Elmira College (3-2, 1-1) at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.