RINDGE, N.H. (September 4, 2016) – In a match which went the distance and was ultimately decided at sixth singles, the Franklin Pierce University men's tennis team opened its season with a hard-fought, 5-4 defeat at the hands of Roberts Wesleyan, in non-conference play at Franklin Pierce.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce opens the 2016-17 campaign at 0-1, while Roberts Wesleyan improves to 2-0.

With the two teams tied with four points apiece, the match came down to the sixth singles match, which featured Franklin Pierce sophomore Dan Longtin (Eliot, Maine) and Roberts Wesleyan junior Dustin Eshleman. Longtin opened the match with a 6-4 win in the first set, but Eshleman stormed back with a 6-1 win in the second set to force the decisive match to go the distance. Eshleman ultimately pulled out a 6-3 win in the third set to post the 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory.

Earlier in the day, Franklin Pierce took two of three doubles matches to take an early advantage. Arguably the match of the day came at first doubles, where sophomore James Bisazza (West Barnstable, Mass.) and freshman Yuval Barak (Zicron Ya'akov, Israel) locked horns with Roberts Wesleyan senior Guilherme Plentz de Liz and freshman Dennis Barlotta. The match would need a tiebreak before it could be resolved, with the Franklin Pierce duo squeaking out with a 9-8 (7-5) victory.

Meanwhile, at second doubles, sophomores Andrew Schadt (Tolland, Conn.) and Marcus Lawrence (Acton, Mass.) took an 8-6 victory from RWC freshmen Paul Langbroek and Mathew Cruz. At third doubles, Roberts Wesleyan kept things close heading into singles play, as junior Jose Carrillo and Eshleman took care of Longtin and junior Olivier Viel (Quebec City, Quebec), 8-2.

Roberts Wesleyan then picked up wins in four of the sixth singles matches to rally for the 5-4 win. Franklin Pierce's remaining points on the day came at first and fourth singles. At first singles, Bisazza rolled past Plentz de Liz, 6-0, 6-3. At fourth singles, it was a 6-4, 6-1 win for Lawrence over Cruz. The decisive sixth singles match was the only singles contest which required three sets.

The Ravens return to the court on Friday, Sept. 16, when they remain home to host Regis (Mass.) in a non-conference match at 3 p.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' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).