Franklin Pierce earns tough

5-4 win over Le Moyne
Robinson wins the crucial sixth singles match to earn the Ravens their first 2007 victory

RINDGE, N.H. (October 5, 2007) – The Franklin Pierce University men’s tennis team started strong and then held on for a 5-4 victory over Le Moyne College in a Northeast-10 men’s tennis match on Friday afternoon at the Franklin Pierce tennis courts.

Junior Matthew Robinson (Bedford, N.H./Manchester West) played a big role in the win for the Ravens, as he helped take a doubles point and then won the decisive sixth-singles match. Robinson began the day by teaming with freshman Max Logan (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) for a tight 8-6 win at second doubles. Then, with the Ravens’ early 4-2 lead erased, Robinson made quick work of Geoffrey Bodi-Maffei (Syracuse, N.Y.) in a 6-2, 6-1 win that earned Franklin Pierce its first conference win of the 2007 season

Sophomore Helder Nogueira (Dourados, Brazil/Lowell (Mass.)) and senior Austin Gardella (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) picked up a combined three points for the Ravens, with both players winning in singles after teaming up for a doubles point. Nogueira moved to 4-0 overall on the season after pairing with Gardella for a 8-3 win at first doubles and then cruising to a 6-1, 6-2 first-singles victory over Kodi Kosmoski (West Windfield, N.Y.). Gardella followed his doubles win with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Jason Kerznowski (Minoa, N.Y.) in second singles action.

Logan nearly picked up another victory for the Ravens, as he took Chris Meeker (Wampsville, N.Y.) to three sets before falling in third singles action, 4-6, 6-3, 1-6.

Franklin Pierce (1-1, 1-1 NE-10) will return to action on Tuesday afternoon, when the Ravens travel to Waltham, Mass., to take on Bentley College beginning at noon.

Franklin Pierce 5, Le Moyne 4

Singles:

1. Helder Nogueira (FP) def. Kodi Kosmoski (LEM), 6-1, 6-2

2. Austin Gardella (FP) def. Jason Kerznowski (LEM), 6-4, 6-2

3. Chris Meeker (LEM) def. Max Logan (FP), 6-4, 3-6, 6-1

4. Josh Patterson (LEM) def. George Xenakis (FP), 6-0, 6-2

5. Ben Jordan (LEM) def. Ryan Strayer (FP), 6-1, 6-1

6. Matthew Robinson (FP) def. Geoffrey Bodi-Maffei (LEM), 6-2, 6-1

Doubles:

1. Nogueira/Gardella (FP) def. Kosmoski/Kerznowski (LEM), 8-3

2. Logan/Robinson (FP) def. Meeker/Jordan (LEM), 8-6

3. Patterson/David Norton (LEM) def. Strayer/Xenakis (FP), 8-3