Maurer shoulders the load for Coast Guard; Bears win, 5-4

NEWPORT, R.I. - Freshman Blake Maurer [Fort Worth, Texas] survived a painful right shoulder and the attacking ground strokes of freshman Chad Strong [San Diego, Calif.] to clinch the deciding match point in a three-set victory at No. 3 singles as the United Coast Guard Academy defeated Salve Regina University men's tennis, 5-4.

Maurer, who re-scheduled necessary shoulder surgery for later this week, served underhanded in both doubles and singles play.

The Seahawks grabbed a 2-1 lead after doubles, winning with Strong and sophomore Brian Castrichini [Winchester, Mass.] over Vince Falco [Wimberley, Texas] and Cody Isaacson [Plainview, Texas] at No. 2 doubles. Another pair of Seahawk freshmen, Aaron Isch [Tolland, Conn.] and Michael Powell [Orange, Conn.], picked up an 8-4 win at No. 3 doubles over Maurer and Anthony Foss [Red Lion, Pa.].

Bears Nick Martin [State College, Pa.] and Chris Pappe [Kenosha, Wisc.] combined for three match points with a win at No. 1 doubles and then respective wins at Nos. 1 and 2 singles.

Isch put the third point on the board for Salve Regina with a straight-set win at No. 5 singles.

"Our guys showed much improvement from our previous matches," said Seahawk head coach Joe Heckley. "The lower part of our lineup really stepped up and we saw much better work in our doubles play."

With Coast Guard leading 4-3, Salve Regina had a chance for the team match with Strong at No. 3 singles and Powell at No. 6 singles. Powell was well into his third set when Strong pushed Maurer to a third set with a 6-2 decision in the second. With increasing darkness, a 10-point tie break was used to complete the match at No. 3 singles. Maurer captured the win at 10-8 when a Strong forehand volley went into the net.

Powell finished the scoring with a third-set tie break over Matt Faha [Stafford, Va.] with a spotlight from the Antone Academic Center providing limited visibility.

Salve Regina (0-3) competes at the Stonehill Invitational this weekend while Coast Guard (2-1) travels across the street in New London, Conn., to face the Camels of Connecticut College on Thursday (1 p.m.).