College Tennis News - Mountain Hawks post 6-1 win over Drexel

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men’s tennis team made Wouter Hendrix’s debut as head coach a victorious one as the Mountain Hawks opened their spring season with a 6-1 win over Drexel Saturday at the Lewis Tennis Center. The Mountain Hawks won two doubles matches and five of six singles matches to defeat the Dragons for the second straight season.

The Mountain Hawks’ top doubles team of junior Mark Goldberg and sophomore Mitchell Petersen lost 8-6 but Lehigh won the other two matches to claim the opening point. At No. 3 doubles, sophomore Ben Gilman and senior Andrew Krentz teamed to defeat Tyler Pultro and Daniel Hansen 8-2. Senior Matt Savran and freshman Jeremy Kochman clinched the doubles point with an 8-4 win over Alex Fioravante and Xavier Saavedra at No. 2 doubles.

Hendrix had to shuffle his singles lineup when Goldberg was unable to play singles due to injury. Players three through seven in the Mountain Hawks lineup moved up one spot. Lehigh’s lead grew to 2-0 as Savran won at No. 3 singles when Jeganathan Srinivasan retired due to injury in the first set. Krentz delivered Lehigh’s third point with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Fioravante at No. 4 singles.

Drexel picked up its only point at No. 5 singles s Saavedra beat junior Timur Chernykh in straight sets, but Lehigh clinched the opening day win at No. 2 singles as Petersen downed Skylar Davis in three sets 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Gilman overcame a sluggish start to dispatch of Badr Ouabdelmoumen in three sets at No. 1 singles, while Kochman was a straight-set winner in his varsity singles debut at the No. 6 flight.

The Mountain Hawks will travel to Penn State next Saturday before returning home to host Saint Francis (Pa.) Sunday, February 3 at 2 p.m.

Lehigh 6 Drexel 1
Doubles
1. Ouabdelmoumen/Davis (DU) def. Goldberg/Petersen (LU) 8-6
2. Savran/Kochman (LU) def. Fioravante/Saavedra (DU) 8-4
3. Gilman/Krentz (LU) def. Pultro/Hansen (DU) 8-2
Singles
1. Ben Gilman (LU) def. Badr Ouabdelmoumen (DU) 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2
2. Mitchell Petersen (LU) def. Skylar Davis (DU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
3. Matt Savran (LU) def. Jeganathan Srinivasan (DU) 5-0, retired
4. Andrew Krentz (LU) def. Alex Fioravante (DU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Xavier Saavedra (DU) def. Timur Chernykh (LU) 6-2, 6-3
6. Jeremy Kochman (LU) def. Paul Stauskas (DU) 6-2, 6-2