Men's Tennis 4/8/2017 10:30:00 PM

Strobel lifts Blue Jays to first Landmark win

Results

SELINSGROVE, Pa. -- Saturday's Landmark Conference men's tennis match between Elizabethtown and Susquehanna came down to the final match, where Nick Strobel's 6-1, 6-4 victory at sixth singles elevated the Blue Jays to their first league win, 5-4.

Strobel and the Blue Jays (3-7, 1-2 Landmark) halted a six-match losing streak and put themselves back in the playoff picture, though with much work to be done.

E-town led nearly the entire match after putting a 1-0 deficit in doubles behind it with wins from Alex Machalick and Connor Martin, 8-6, at No. 1 and Tyler Spinello and Nathan Dowling, 8-5, at No. 2.

Matthew Hornbaker was first to finish in singles, taking his third flight match over the River Hawks' (7-6, 0-3) Alexander Cocolas 6-2, 6-3. When Machalick came back to best Ben Ornstein at No. 1 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-0, Elizabethtown held a 4-2 lead and needed one more point to clinch.

Though the outcome became somewhat dramatic after Susquehanna scored victories at second and fifth singles to tie the match, Strobel was in control at sixth singles.

Elizabethtown moved into a fifth-place tie with Catholic at 1-2 in the Landmark Conference. The Blue Jays face a hefty task with defending conference runner-up Juniata on deck Sunday at 1 p.m.

Elizabethtown 5, Susquehanna 4
April 8, 2017 at Selinsgrove, Pa. (Garrett Courts)

Singles competition

1. Alex Machalick (ETOWN) def. Ben Ornstein (SUS) 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-0

2. Alexander Dove (SUS) def. Connor Martin (ETOWN) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3

3. Matthew Hornbaker (ETOWN) def. Alexander Cocolas (SUS) 6-2, 6-3

4. Ryan Seibert (SUS) def. Tyler Spinello (ETOWN) 6-2, 6-1

5. Nicholas Meale (SUS) def. Nathan Dowling (ETOWN) 6-4, 6-3

6. Nick Strobel (ETOWN) def. Ashton Collins (SUS) 6-1, 6-4

Doubles competition

1. Alex Machalick/Connor Martin (ETOWN) def. Ben Ornstein/Ryan Seibert (SUS) 8-6

2. Tyler Spinello/Nathan Dowling (ETOWN) def. Alexander Dove/Alexander Cocolas (SUS) 8-5

3. Nicholas Meale/Ashton Collins (SUS) def. Matthew Hornbaker/Nick Strobel (ETOWN) 8-1

Match Notes

Elizabethtown 3-7, 1-2 Landmark

Susquehanna 7-6, 0-3 Landmark

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

Landmark Conference match

T-4:55 A-50

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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