Saint Leo, Fla. – Playing against their third-straight nationally ranked opponent, with one coming the day before, Lynn University's seventh-ranked men's tennis team dropped a heartbreaker 5-4 to 14th-ranked Saint Leo on Sunday. With the loss Lynn falls to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in Sunshine State Conference play.
After a fierce round of doubles play, where all three battles were decided by just four games combined, Lynn ended up on the wrong side of a 2-1 score. The Fighting Knight got on the scoreboard first, with Fernando Rivas and Alessio Iannozzi defeating Guilaume Vanelven and Fons Verberne 9-8, 10-3 in the tiebreaker, on court three. Also reaching the tiebreaker point with a tied score of 8-8, Daniel Riggs and Paolo Volpicelli lost to Bruno Sisti and Alex Theiler 10-3 in the tiebreaker at the top slot. The final doubles game to end was another Saint Leo (3-1, 1-0 SSC) point by a 9-7 score over Mehdi Laalej and Pavel Mojha in the second spot.
In singles action Lynn was able to knot up the score at 2-2 quickly with freshman Rivas cruising to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Netanel Alcabas at the second position. The Fighting Knights retook the lead after Mojha bested Egor Panyushkin on court three 6-3, 4-6, 6-0, but the Lions tied it back up in the four spot as Volpicelli fell to Vanelven 6-1, 7-5.
In a first to two win situation, 23rd-ranked Riggs put the finish line in sight with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 performance on the main court. Iannozzi put Lynn one step closer, taking the first set in his match 6-4, but lost the second to Sisti 6-2. In a dramatic third set on court five, Iannozzi lost 6-4 to put all the pressure on Laalej in the six spot. Saint Leo won the final match 6-2, 6-2 to give Lynn its first loss of 2015.
The Fighting Knights are back in action on Friday, February 20, when they travel to Eckerd. Fans can follow the action at www.lynnfightingknights.com and by following @Lynn_Knights on Twitter and Instagram.
