DAYTON -- The University of Dayton men's tennis team had its strongest weekend of the season, shutting out Northern Kentucky 6-0 on Friday and coming back from a 3-0 singles deficit for a thrilling 4-3 win over IUPUI on Saturday.
UD pocketed a 6-0 win in what coach Ryan Meyer termed UD's "best match of the year." Dayton had wins in the first five singles flights from Aidan Koross, Bernardo Sanson, Andrew Hanley, Josh Malyon and Andy Druffel (Kyle McDonald was leading at No. 6 singles when his match was stopped). The Flyers took the doubles point when Koross and Sanson and Malyon and Hanley won their matches.
DAYTON MEN 6, NORTHERN KENTUCKY 0
Doubles
Aidan Koross/Bernardo Sanson (UD) def. Mate Virag/Pierce Kohls (NKU) 8-7
Josh Malyon/Andrew Hanley (UD) def. Jody Maginley/Jack Karney (NKU) 8-4
Christopher Angulo/Nick Lang (NKU) def. Colin Bernier/Andy Druffel (UD) 8-5
Singles
Koross (UD) def. Virag (NKU) 6-3, 6-4
Sanson (UD) def. Kohls (NKU) 7-5, 6-4
Hanley (UD) def. Maginley (NKU) 6-7, 7-5, 1-0
Malyon (UD) def. Angulo (NKU) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0
Druffel (UD) def. Karney (NKU) 6-3, 6-1
Kyle McDonald (UD) 6, Lang (NKU) 3, unfinished
One day later, UD found itself in a far different situation. IUPUI won the doubles point, and then took straight set wins in the first two singles matches. With their backs against the wall, the Flyers won all four remaining singles matches in dramatic fashion. Bernardo Sanson won 7-5, 6-2. Andrew Hanley took third singles 6-3, 6-1, 6-3. Josh Malyon won 6-3, 4-6 and 7-5. The deciding match came down to No. 5 singles, where UD freshman Andy Druffel was matched up against Jaguar junior Patrick O'Neill. O'Neill took the first set 7-6 (5 in the tiebreaker), but Druffel came from a break down in the second set to win 6-3 and then play with the poise needed to win the match 7-5 in the third.
DAYTON MEN 4, IUPUI 3
Doubles
Patrick O'Neill/Alex Toliver (IUPUI) 7, Aidan Koross/Bernardo Sanson (UD) 6, unfinished
Thomas Gans/Jacob Bradley (IUPUI) def. Andrew Hanley/Josh Malyon (UD) 8-4
Jason Jaruvang/Manuel Laboy (IUPUI) def. Kyle MacDonald/Enzo Milano (UD) 8-4
Singles:
Jaruvang (IUPUI) def. Koross (UD) 6-1, 6-2
Sanson (UD) def. Toliver (IUPUI) 7-5, 6-2
Hanley (UD) def. Bradley (IUPUI) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
Malyon (UD) def. Gans (IUPUI) 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
Andy Druffel (UD) def. O'Neill (IUPUI) 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-5
Akshay Verma (IUPUI) def. MacDonald (UD) 6-3, 6-0
"These two matches show that our team's hard work on the court and in the weight room is paying off," Dayton head coach Ryan Meyer said. "I couldn't be happier with how we palyed in both matches this weekend. The IUPUI win was one of the most exciting I've been a part of."
Dayton 's matches originally scheduled at Richmond (March 7) and Longwood (March 8) this weekend have been cancelled due to weather-rlated reasons.
