SALISBURY, Md. - The No. 12 Salisbury
University men's tennis team suffered another setback to a
nationally ranked team as the Sea Gulls dropped a tightly contested
5-4 match to visiting No. 16 Washington & Lee University on
Monday. The loss is the second in a row to a nationally ranked
team, in as many days, and the third loss in the last four matches
played.
Salisbury (15-4), ranked No. 11 in the Atlantic South region,
fell behind early against Washington & Lee (13-4), ranked No. 6
in the region, as the Generals led 2-1 after doubles' play. The Sea
Gulls won at first doubles as senior Brendan
Kincaid and sophomore Scott Burtzlaff,
ranked No. 11 in the region, beat W&L's top pair of Jamie
McCardell and Tim Ross, 8-3. The Generals rallied back with wins at
second and third doubles. Nat Estes and Seth Feibelman beat
Salisbury junior Matt Nicholson and sophomore
Evan Thomas, 8-4, at second doubles. Sophomore
Marcus Robinson and freshman Andrew
Nottage could not pull out a win at third doubles as they
fell to Alex Brooke and Stuart Sanford, 5-8.
The Sea Gulls knotted the match at two apiece as Burtzlaff won
6-4, 6-4 at No. 3 singles over W&L's Brent Meyers. The tied
score didn't last for long as Washington & Lee won back-to-back
points at fifth and sixth singles to take a 4-2 lead heading into
the final three singles' matches. Salisbury inched back with
a hard earned point at No. 4 singles won by Thomas against
McCardell, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-3). W&L clinched the match
with a victory at No. 2 singles as Estes, ranked No. 22 in the
region, took down Nicholson, No. 10 in the region, in three sets
5-7, 6-3, 6-4. Kincaid, ranked No. 13 in the region, won at first
singles 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) over Ross, ranked No. 11 in the region.
The Sea Gulls will now turn their attention to the 2008 Capital
Athletic Conference tournament where SU is the top-seed. Salisbury
received a first round bye and will host the winner between Villa
Julie College and St. Mary's (Md.) College on Friday afternoon in
the conference semifinals.
