Hawks taste revenge in 6-3 win against Seahawks

NEWPORT, R.I. - In the first re-match since Salve Regina University men's tennis upset Roger Williams University last May for The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) championship, the visiting Hawks downed the Seahawks 6-3 in the 31st meeting all-time between the two schools.

Roger Williams took the first point with an 8-4 win at No. 3 doubles for Nicholas Hawvermale (Bethlehem, Conn.) and Jason Pacino (North Reading, Mass.). Salve Regina evened the score with an 8-4 win at No. 1 doubles for Zachary Rosenfeld (Easton, Conn.) and Chad Strong (San Diego, Calif.).

At No. 2 doubles, the Seahawk pair of Brian Castrichini (Winchester, Mass.) and Aaron Isch (Tolland, Conn) rallied from down a break to take an 8-7 lead in the eight-game pro-set. Junior Jeff DeNunzio (Barrington, R.I.) held serve to force a tiebreak for the match.

On the 5-all point in the tiebreak, junior Spencer Withington (Plymouth, Mass.) reached low for a volley which he was able to angle away for a winner. The Hawks forced a forehand error to win match point and carry a 2-1 lead into singles.

Freshman Taylor Webster (Bristol, Conn.) won his match at No. 6 singles and was followed by a Withington win at No. 5 singles. Roger Williams (7-6; 4-1 TCCC) clinched the team score when senior Dan Kleitz (Wethersfield, Conn.) took a 6-4,6-2 decision at No. 3 singles.

Rosenfeld fell into a 4-0 hole in his singles match with Kevin Erikson (Tolland, Conn.) at No. 2 singles before the Seahawk co-captain won 11 straight games to finish with a 6-4,6-1 victory.

Strong finished next and posted a straight-sets victory at No. 1 singles (6-4,6-4) over DeNunzio. In a re-match of the pairing that decided last year's championship, Pacino bested Isch in straight sets.

Salve Regina (3-5; 3-2 TCCC) hosts unbeaten Western New England on Thursday (4 p.m.) while Roger Williams travels to Wentworth for its Saturday match in Boston.

Tennis Match Results
Roger Williams vs Salve Regina
04/06/11 at Newport, R.I.
(Leroy Avenue courts)

Roger Williams 6, Salve Regina 3

Singles competition
1. Chad Strong (SRU) def. Jeff DeNunzio (RWU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Zachary Rosenfeld (SRU) def. Kevin Erikson (RWU) 6-4, 6-1
3. Dan Kleitz (RWU) def. Brian Castrichini (SRU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Jason Pacino (RWU) def. Aaron Isch (SRU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Spencer Withington (RWU) def. Colin Gunning (SRU) 6-3, 6-3
6. Taylor Webster (RWU) def. Brian Sweeney (SRU) 6-0, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Zachary Rosenfeld/Chad Strong (SRU) def. Kevin Erikson/Dan Kleitz (RWU) 8-4
2. Jeff DeNunzio/Spencer Withington (RWU) def. Brian Castrichini/Aaron Isch (SRU) 9-8 (7-5)
3. Nicholas Hawvermale/Jason Pacino (RWU) def. Colin Gunning/Brian Sweeney (SRU) 8-4

Match Notes:
Roger Williams 7-6; 4-1 TCCC
Salve Regina 3-5; 3-2 TCCC
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,5,3,2,1,4)
Official: self-officiated T-2:56 A-42