Men's Tennis 4/10/2016 5:30:00 PM

Men's tennis overpowers Susquehanna on Senior Day

Results

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – Evan Hinkley, the Elizabethtown College men's tennis team's lone senior, celebrated Senior Day with his 20th career singles victory in Sunday's 8-1 trouncing of Susquehanna at the Alumni Courts.

The Blue Jays moved to 4-5 on the season and, more importantly, 2-1 in the Landmark Conference. Susquehanna dropped to 5-7 and is now winless in three conference matches.

Elizabethtown carried the advantage out of doubles for the sixth consecutive match, but not without some drama. Nathan Dowling and Matthew Hornbaker trailed 7-6 at No. 2, but won two straight games to move in front. The Blue Jays' duo was unable to break serve for the match, however, as Susquehanna forced a tiebreaker.

Dowling and Hornbaker, the current Landmark Athlete of the Week, held off the Crusaders' Nicholas Meale and Alexander Cocolas in the decisive race to seven points, 7-5. Dowling and Hornbaker are 5-1 in their last six matches together.

So to are Hinkley and freshman Nick Strobel. The Jays' third doubles pair defeated SU's Alexander Dove and Ashton Collins 8-3.

Though Susquehanna stole a point at No. 1, it would be but a blip on Elizabethtown's radar.

E-town swept singles for the first time this season en route to its largest margin of victory.

Dowling's 6-3, 6-2 straight set win over Meale at No. 3 got the Blue and Gray started in singles, and Alex Machalick outlasted Ben Ornstein 7-5, 6-4 at No. 1.

Dowling and Hinkley, a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Alexander Dove at fifth singles, each picked up their seventh wins of the season and moved to within two victories of tying their career-highs of nine.

Strobel is one win shy of becoming the first Jay to 10 singles wins this season after dismantling Collins 6-3, 6-1 at sixth singles.

Hornbaker controlled Cocolas for a 6-2, 6-0 victory at No. 4 and Caris bounced back after dropping his opening set to down Ryan Seibert 2-6, 6-0, 6-4.

Elizabethtown will take on Salisbury, the 12th ranked team in the Oracle/ITA Atlantic South Region rankings, on the Alumni Courts Friday at 3 p.m.

Elizabethtown 8, Susquehanna 1
April 10, 2016 at Elizabethtown, Pa. (Alumni Courts)

Singles competition

1. Alex Machalick (ETOWN) def. Ben Ornstein (SUS) 7-5, 6-4

2. Ryan Caris (ETOWN) def. Ryan Seibert (SUS) 2-6, 6-0, 6-4

3. Nathan Dowling (ETOWN) def. Nicholas Meale (SUS) 6-3, 6-2

4. Matthew Hornbaker (ETOWN) def. Alexander Cocolas (SUS) 6-2, 6-0

5. Evan Hinkley (ETOWN) def. Alexander Dove (SUS) 6-3, 6-3

6. Nick Strobel (ETOWN) def. Ashton Collins (SUS) 6-3, 6-1

Doubles competition

1. Ben Ornstein/Ryan Seibert (SUS) def. Alex Machalick/Ryan Caris (ETOWN) 8-4

2. Nathan Dowling/Matthew Hornbaker (ETOWN) def. Nicholas Meale/Alexander Cocolas (SUS) 9-8 (7-5)

3. Evan Hinkley/Nick Strobel (ETOWN) def. Alexander Dove/Ashton Collins (SUS) 8-3

Match Notes

Susquehanna 5-7, 0-3 Landmark

Elizabethtown 4-5, 2-1 Landmark

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (3,1,2,4,5,6)

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Players Mentioned

Ryan Caris: 5' 9"; Junior

Nathan Dowling: 5' 11"; Junior

Evan Hinkley: 5' 7"; Senior

Matthew Hornbaker: 6' 0"; Junior

Alex Machalick: 6' 0"; Junior

Nick Strobel: 5' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ryan Caris
: 5' 9"; Junior

Nathan Dowling
: 5' 11"; Junior

Evan Hinkley
: 5' 7"; Senior

Matthew Hornbaker
: 6' 0"; Junior

Alex Machalick
: 6' 0"; Junior

Nick Strobel
: 5' 7"; Freshman