BETHLEHEM, Pa. (Oct. 16, 2012) – The Saint Francis U men's and women's tennis teams closed up their fall tournament schedule by racking up a total of 11 wins at the Lehigh invitational last weekend. Playing in cold and rainy conditions, the Red Flash took on opponents from Loyola, Lehigh, Delaware and Bucknell.

“These were not the best tennis conditions and some of the players had a hard time dealing with the wind and cold,” said SFU head coach Paul Tobin. “We have been practicing indoors this fall season and the adjustment could not be made by some.”

On the women's side, Lucy Jasso (San Luis Potosi, Mexico/Instituto Potosino) and Rafaela Panizza (Jundiai, Brazil/) provided the Red Flash women with their first doubles win against Loyola no. 1 team, Haleigh Morgus and Emily Hughes.  Jasso and Panizza were down 4-2 but ended up breaking twice and closed out the match, winning 8-6. Their second match against Lehigh's Jenai Bilmoria and Abby Farrell fell the other way, with each team holding serve it came down to Lehigh holding to win 8-7. Jasso-and-Panizza's third match was equally tough, going up against the Delaware no. 1 team of Lai Carmen and Namova Natalia. After breaking in the fifth game and up 5-3, they were unable to close out the match and lost 8-6.

In singles action the women picked up strong wins at the nos. 2 and 3 positions. Shivani Patel (Leicestershire, England/Repton School) once again took her match against Lehigh Abby Farrell to a third set super tiebreaker, this time winning 10-8. After taking the first set easily 6-3, Farrell fought back to claim the second set. Down 7-4 in the super tie, Patel came back to claim her first tiebreak win. In her second match against Delaware, Patel had no trouble taking down Namova Natalia 6-2, 6-3.

Lucy Jasso (San Luis Potosi, Mexico/Instituto Potosino) easily won against Lehigh Ali Kaminetsky 6-3, 6-1.  Jasso never got broken and claimed only eight unforced errors during the whole match. Other notable scores came from no. 6 SFU player Camila Diaz (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Colegio La Piedad). After winning the first set 6-0, she lost her momentum in the second set and finally lost in a tight 10-7 super tiebreaker.

“Its hard on the line-up when no. 1 doubles player Alex Sachs (Parkland, Fla./Stoneman Douglas) is still on the injured list,” said Tobin. “We are forced to mix up the teams again and the players have no continuity.”

On the men's side SFU came out strong, picking up the doubles point against Loyola. Sergio Carvajal (Nueva Esparta, Venezuela/U.E. Fray Elias Maria Sendra) and Chris Jimenez (Bayside, N.Y./St. Francis Preparatory) took on the no. 2 team from Loyola, Kunkel and Boto. Each team holding their own with the Red Flash ended up clinching a 8-6 win. Carvajal and Jimenez than picked up another win against no. 2 Delaware team, Gelman and Andrews easily dismissing them 8-3.

Lawson Barter (Chicago, Ill./Loyola) and Juan Pardo (Bogota, Colombia/Colegio Andino) had a similar issue against Loyola Kutchta and Olesnycky.  This time they battled back from a 4-2 deficit to win 8-6. Andres Rosa (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Colegio la Piedad) and Washi Gervais (Longueuil, Quebec/College Stanislas), up 6-3 an on serve, had the most disappointing loss to Loyola no. 1 team, Gurezakowski and Pietrak. Loyola broke Gervais at 6-3 and then held serve to trail 6-5. Loyola forced another break to tie at 6-6 than easily closed out the match 8-6.

“This was a very difficult loss for the team,” said Tobin. “Giving away two serve options is not acceptable at this level and at the no. 1 spot. Both players have the talent, but they need to develop themselves as a team in order to win.”

In singles action Gervais, in the no. 1 position, took down Lehigh's Ben Gilman.  Gilman led the Hawks to a 15-3 record last year and was named All-Patriot League. At the no. 4 position, Jimenez had a convincing win against Lehigh Andrew Krentz winning 6-4, 6-3.

No. 3 Sergio Carvajal (Nueva Esparta, Venezuela/U.E. Fray Elias Maria Sendra) lost the first set against Lehigh Matt Sauran 6-3, but rallied back in the second 7-5, Sauran dominated the super tiebreaker 10-1 and closing the match.

In one of the most dramatic matches of the weekend, Carvajal took the first set 7-6 against no. 3 Delaware player Nolan Gelman but couldn't keep the momentum going into the second, losing 6-2. Already down three points in the super tiebreaker, Carvajal rallied back to 10-7 to claim the win.

Pardo took the first set against Lehigh's DJ Goldblum, 6-4, but was unable to capitalize on six break points in the second and lost 6-4.  Pardo, up 8-5 in the super tie, let two serving opportunities slip away and was unable to close it out, losing 10-7.