Men's Tennis 4/17/2017 10:00:00 PM

Men's tennis scores 6-3 win over Millersville

Results

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. -- Elizabethtown's recent run of success continued Monday afternoon with a 6-3 victory over NCAA Division II Millersville at the Alumni Courts.

Meeting for the first time since 2002, the Blue Jays and Marauders engaged in a pair of close doubles matches before E-town took control in singles.

Matthew Hornbaker and Nick Strobel breezed to an 8-1 win over Patrick Maher and Adam Kopitsky at third doubles and Tyler Spinello and Nathan Dowling held off Noah Ginder and Jordan Shultz in a tiebreaker, 9-8 (4), to give the Blue Jays (5-8) a 2-1 edge heading to singles.

The winless Marauders (0-18) actually took the lead, 3-2, behind victories from No. 3 Ginder and No. 1 Christian Akerley. Ginder dropped his first set to Hornbaker 6-0, but proceeded to lose just two games the rest of the way for a 0-6, 6-2, 6-0 win.

Akerley and the Jays' Alex Machalick, named Landmark Athlete of the Week for the first time in his career earlier Monday, also went three sets. Similar to Hornbaker, Machalick won the opening set, only to watch Akerley rally and then emerge on top in a tiebreaker 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3).

Elizabethtown's ownership of the lower flights was enough to turn the match in its favor, as the last four points all went to the home side.

Freshman Connor Martin broke a five-match winless streak by holding off Christian Boyer 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 at No. 2.

No. 5 Dowling and No. 6 Strobel swept matches with Maher and Kopitsky 6-0, 6-0.

Spinello ended the match with a 6-1, 6-4 victory against Shultz at No. 4.

The Blue Jays, squaring off against former head coach Matt Helsel, now at Millersville after spending the previous 15 seasons at Elizabethtown and leading the program to 146 wins and four conference championships, won for the third time in their last four matches.

Elizabethtown will take to the road Thursday for a 4 p.m. match at Stevenson.

Elizabethtown 6, Millersville 3
April 17, 2017 at Elizabethtown, Pa. (Alumni Courts)

Singles competition

1. Christian Akerley (MILL) def. Alex Machalick (ETOWN) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)

2. Connor Martin (ETOWN) def. Christian Boyer (MILL) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1

3. Noah Ginder (MILL) def. Matthew Hornbaker (ETOWN) 0-6, 6-2, 6-0

4. Tyler Spinello (ETOWN) def. Jordan Shultz (MILL) 6-1, 6-4

5. Nathan Dowling (ETOWN) def. Patrick Maher (MILL) 6-0, 6-0

6. Nick Strobel (ETOWN) def. Adam Kopitsky (MILL) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition

1. Christian Akerley/Christian Boyer (MILL) def. Alex Machalick/Connor Martin (ETOWN) 8-6

2. Tyler Spinello/Nathan Dowling (ETOWN) def. Noah Ginder/Jordan Shultz (MILL) 9-8 (7-4)

3. Matthew Hornbaker/Nick Strobel (ETOWN) def. Patrick Maher/Adam Kopitsky (MILL) 8-1

Match Notes

Millersville 0-18

Elizabethtown 5-8

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

Elizabethtown - NCAA Division III; Millersville - NCAA Division II

T-4:30 A-75

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Nathan Dowling: 5' 11"; Senior

Matthew Hornbaker: 6' 0"; Senior

Alex Machalick: 6' 0"; Senior

Nick Strobel: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Connor Martin: 5' 5"; Freshman

Tyler Spinello: 5' 9"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Nathan Dowling
: 5' 11"; Senior

Matthew Hornbaker
: 6' 0"; Senior

Alex Machalick
: 6' 0"; Senior

Nick Strobel
: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Connor Martin
: 5' 5"; Freshman

Tyler Spinello
: 5' 9"; Freshman