Franklin Pierce Handles Pace, 6-3

 EAST HARTFORD, CONN. (March 7, 2004) – The Franklin Pierce University
men's tennis team picked up its first Conference victory of the season as it defeated Pace, 6-3, at the East Hartford Racquet Club in Northeast-10 Conference action this afternoon.

            Senior captain Darko Minic (Belgrade, Yugoslavia/XII Belgrade Gimnasium) and junior Arun Lazarus (Bradenton, Fla./Bayshore) posted an 8-4 win over Adrian Cosma and Paul Kosinski (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) at #1 doubles and then both went on to record victories in singles to help lead the Ravens. At #1 singles, Minic defeated Cosma in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4. Lazarus followed with a win over Kosinski at #2 singles 6-2, 7-6, 7-5.

 Junior captain Maciej Szpakowski (Cieszyn, Poland/Mattituck (N.Y.)) and classmate Ryan Jones (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) registered an 8-1 win over Pace’s Marko Prijevic (Pleasantville, NY/XI Belgrade Gymnasium) and Derrick Torbeck (Wappingers Falls, NY/Ketcham) at #2 doubles. Szpakowski also picked up a win at #3 singles, 6-1, 6-2 over Prijevic.

            Freshman Elliot Mcllellan (Jaffrey, N.H./Williston-Northampton) also tallied a 6-1, 6-4 win for the Ravens at #4 singles.

            Franklin Pierce (2-0, 1-0 NE-10) next hosts Bryant College on Wednesday at 3 p.m. Pace next hosts Mercy College on Friday at 3:30 p.m.