BOCA RATON, Fla. – Lynn University's seventh-ranked men's tennis completed their three-game home stand to kick off the 2015 season on Saturday, defeating 10th-ranked Valdosta State 6-3. With the victory Lynn improved to 3-0 on the season.
The Fighting Knights drew first blood with an 8-3 victory by the duo of Alessio Iannozzi and Fernando Rivas over Leo Blay and Joachim Schemm in the three spot. At the top slot the number one-ranked doubles team in the country, Paolo Volpicelli and Daniel Riggs, fell 8-4 to Gereon Heitmann and Ramon Weil. Doubles action concluded with na 8-4 win for Pavel Mojha and Mehdi Laalej over Francisco Yim and Niklas Hebring on court two.
Valdosta State (1-1) knotted the score at 2 apiece with a 6-2, 7-6 decision over Mojha in the three slot by Herbring. 23rd-ranked Riggs put Lynn back on top with a 6-4, 6-4 victory on the main court. Rivas cruised to a 6-4 set one over 19th-ranked Kim in the second position before dropping the second set 6-3. In the decisive set three the freshman prevailed 6-4. In the four spot, Volpicelli was bested 6-3, 6-4 by Heitmann to yet again make it a one point contest.
With just two courts left to decide the match, Iannozzi took his first set 6-2 while Laalej prevailed 7-5 to put Lynn in position for the victory. Iannozzi's opponent, Schemm, forced a tiebreaker point with a 6-6 score in set two while Laalej dropped his second set 7-6 to Weil to force a third set. Iannozzi won the tiebreaker point to clinch the result while his teammate won 10-4 in the third set.
The Fighting Knights have little time to rest as they take on 14th-ranked Saint Leo on Sunday at 10 am. Fans can follow the action live at lynnfightingknights.com and by following Lynn_Knights on Twitter and Instagram
