Bennett wins raucous fifth singles affair

RINDGE, N.H. (April 6, 2013) – Junior Christopher Brewer (Brattleboro, Vt.) picked up wins at both first doubles and second singles on Sunday afternoon, but the Franklin Pierce University men's tennis team was defeated, 5-4, by Assumption in Northeast-10 Conference play at Franklin Pierce.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 3-7 (2-6 Northeast-10), while Assumption improves to 7-6 (3-4 Northeast-10).

Assumption took two of the three doubles matches to take a one-point lead in the match, which it would hold for the remainder of the day. The Ravens picked up a win at first doubles, as Brewer teamed with senior Pat Gilhuly (Killingworth, Conn.) for an 8-5 win over Assumption sophomore Viljami Rahnasto and freshman Chris Waung. The Greyhounds earned decisive, 8-2 victories at both second and third doubles.

The two teams would ultimately split the six singles matches to create the 5-4 final. In addition to the team match only being decided by one point, three of the singles matches required all three sets to finish. Brewer battled to a three-set win at second singles, as he matched up with Rahnasto. Brewer took the first set, but dropped the second en route to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win.

First singles proved to be among the day's decisive matches. Gilhuly took a 6-4 win in the first set, as he went up against Waung. The Assumption freshman bounced back to take the remaining two sets, however, as he came away with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win.

Perhaps the most entertaining match of the day came at fifth singles, where Franklin Pierce sophomore Drew Bennett (Rindge, N.H.) locked horns with Assumption graduate student Michael Breen. Both of the first two sets required tiebreaks, with Bennett taking a 7-6 (7-3) win in the first set and Breen answering with a 7-6 (10-8) win in the second set. The team match was decided by the time the two finished the second set, which meant they played a third-set tiebreak instead of a full third set. Bennett prevailed for the 7-6 (3), 6-7 (8), 10-7 victory.

The Ravens are scheduled to return to the court on Friday, April 11, when they host Adelphi in a Northeast-10 Conference match at 10 a.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce tennis apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).