CNU RESULTS

WHITMAN RESULTS

SWARTHMORE, Pa.–The 26th-ranked Swarthmore College men's tennis team began the season on Saturday, Feb. 18 with two losses to stiff competition. The Garnet opened the day with a 5-4 defeat to No. 28 Christopher Newport and finished the evening on a 6-3 setback to No. 24 Whitman.

Against the Captains of CNU, Swarthmore fell behind 3-0 after doubles competition. The third doubles duo of John Larkin and Blake Oetting battled back from 4-7 to force a tiebreaker, but ultimately fell 8-7(5).

In singles action, Larkin defeated 49th-ranked singles player Justin Cerny in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3. At the fifth spot, Josh Powell breezed past Dillon Sykes, 6-3, 6-0 and Simon Vernier battled to a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 triumph at third singles. First singles player Mark Fallati erased a one-set deficit, but fell 5-7, 7-5, 2-6 to David Reed. Freshman Kevin Xu picked up a hard-earned 5-7, 6-4, 1-0(7) win in the first dual match of his career.

Larkin and Oetting scored an 8-5 victory against Whitman as the visitors took a 2-1 advantage into singles play.

Fallati went toe-to-toe with nationally-ranked Zach Hewlin in the first set, but could not close and dropped a 6-7(7), 4-6 decision. After dropping the first set, Larkin responded with a 6-0 rout in the second before a 2-6 defeat in the third. Vernier captured a second individual victory, 6-2, 7-6(5) before Robert Carter of Whitman clinched the match with a 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 result at the fourth spot.

In the final match of the day, Xu gave a gutsy effort at the sixth spot before retiring in the super tiebreaker.

The Garnet travel to Lexington, Va. To face Washington & Lee on Saturday, March 4.