Gardella and Phataraprasit earn the Ravens' lone point with 8-1 first-doubles win

RINDGE, N.H. (April 2, 2008) - Saint Michael's College, ranked ninth in this week's NCAA Div. II East Regional rankings, earned an abbreviated 5-1 win over Franklin Pierce University in Northeast-10 Conference men's tennis action on Wednesday night at the Grimshaw-Gudewicz Activity Center at Northfields. The final three scheduled singles matches were not played after Saint Michael's clinched the win.

Juniors John Lescure (Kennebunk, Maine/Berwick Academy) and Sean Steigerwald (North Andover, Mass./North Andover) were dual winners for the Purple Knights. Lescure teamed with Torr Terranova (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand) to win their second doubles match, 8-2, before Lescure took a 6-3, 6-3 decision over Franklin Pierce senior Austin Gardella (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) in first singles play. Steigerwald won at third doubles before clinching the match for Saint Michael's with a 6-4, 6-3 third-singles win over freshman Adit Phataraprasit (Bangkok, Thailand/Millfield School (U.K.)).

Gardella and Phataraprasit teamed up for the Ravens' lone win of the day, as the duo handily defeated Andy Samara (South Burlington, Vt./South Burlington) and Andrew Bolduc in first doubles action, 8-1.

Franklin Pierce (1-7, 1-7 NE-10) returns to action on Friday, as the Ravens take on Pace University in Hartford, Conn., beginning at 11 a.m. Saint Michael's (5-5, 4-1 NE-10) will also take on Pace next, as the Purple Knights host the Setters on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

Saint Michael's 5, Franklin Pierce 1

Doubles
1. Austin Gardella/Adit Phataraprasit (FP) def. Andy Samara/Andrew Bolduc (STM), 8-1
2. John Lescure/Torr Terranova (STM) def. Roland Oganyan/Max Logan (FP), 8-2
3. Sean Steigerwald/Craig Lindaberry (STM) def. Ryan Strayer/Johan Torstensson (FP), 8-3

Singles
1. Lescure (STM) def. Gardella (FP), 6-3, 6-3
2. Samara (STM) def. Oganyan (FP), 6-7 (3-6), 6-1, 6-4
3. Steigerwald (STM) def. Phataraprasit (FP), 6-4, 6-3
4. Lindaberry (STM) vs. Logan (FP) - DNP
5. Adam Brezinsky (STM) vs. Strayer (FP) - DNP
6. Bolduc (STM) vs. Torstensson (FP) - DNP