Jan. 30, 2010

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Saint Joseph's men's tennis team fell to the squad from the United States Naval Academy, 6-1, in its first match of 2010 on Saturday morning. The Hawks got solid performances from everyone in the squad, in particular senior captain Nick Tuxen, who scored a singles victory in a super tiebreaker in his first action in a year.

"We showed some fight," head coach Ian Crookenden said. "It was great to see Nick and Lucho [Perez-Abreu] competing again. It was a respectable result against a very good team."

Tuxen earned a 7-5, 4-6, 10-7 win over Nicholas Gutsche at fifth singles in his first match in over a year. Tuxen played in the fall of 2008 before shoulder surgery sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

Perez-Abreu played at sixth singles and fell to Matt Richmond, 6-2, 6-4. He had been sidelined from competitive matches for over two years, also with a shoulder injury.

Also performing admirably was freshman Alex Veronis, who lost in a super tiebreaker, 4-6, 7-5, 10-8, to Anderson Walls in the second singles flight.

Saint Joseph's returns to action on Wednesday when the Hawks take on city rival Penn.

Navy 6, Saint Joseph's 1

Singles
1. Owen Bullard (USNA) def. Michael Stauble (SJU), 6-4, 6-4
2. Anderson Walls (USNA) def. Alex Veronis (SJU), 4-6, 7-5, 10-8 (STB)
3. Jeremy New (USNA) def. Matt Prusack (SJU), 6-0, 6-4
4. Zach Nicholson (USNA) def. Peter Cognetti (SJU), 6-3, 6-1
5. Nick Tuxen (SJU) def. Nicholas Gutsche (USNA), 7-5, 4-6, 10-7
6. Matt Richmond (USNA) def. Lucho Perez-Abreu (SJU), 6-2, 6-4

Doubles
1. Bullard/Eddie Konrad (USNA) def. Cognetti/Perez-Abreu (SJU), 8-5
2. Nick Birger/Ramsey Lemaich (USNA) def. Stauble/Prusack (SJU), 8-3
3. New/Nicholson def. Veronis/ Tommy Gates (SJU), 8-4