Men's College Tennis:Rider University 7, Wagner College 0
Thursday, October 18, 2007
October 18, 2007 -
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.—The Broncs swept the Seahawks in a non-conference match Thursday afternoon. “Everyone played well,” said head coach Ed Torres. “We’ve played a tough fall schedule so it was nice to get the win today. It was a morale booster.”
For Rider (3-6), junior Casey Jedlinski (Manalapan) won at first singles 6-2, 6-3 and teamed up with freshman Josh Rultenberg (Lafayette Hill, Pa./Plymouth-Whitemarsh) to win at first doubles 8-3. Rultenberg won at second singles in three sets 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
“Josh played a steady Wagner player and everything that Josh sent over got returned,” said Torres. “He hung in there and had to play overly aggressive to end the points. Josh has very good night vision because it was pretty dark when his match ended.”
“Casey and I finally put the pieces together on the doubles side,” said Rultenberg. “I give Casey more of the credit, he played better than I did and picked me up. Overall it was a team effort to get the win today.”
“Despite the fact that I was playing in darkness for the third set of the singles, I was able to keep putting the pressure on him and I finally wore him down,” Rultenberg added. “Knowing that we clinched the match, I was able to play more relaxed knowing the match didn’t come down to me.”
Sophomore Will Haight (Turnersville, N.J./Washington Township) won his third singles match 6-2, 6-1 with fellow sophomore Marc Ashed (Vineland) posting a 6-3, 6-1 win at fourth singles. Haight and Ashed teamed up for an 8-1 win at second doubles.
Bronc freshman Chris Esposito (Ocean Grove, N.J./Neptune) (6-0, 6-1) and freshman Robert Olsen (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) (6-4, 6-1) also posted wins at fifth and sixth singles. Esposito and Tom Becker (Cinnaminson/Holy Cross) won 8-1 at third doubles.
“Chris is an excellent doubles player,” said Torres. “As we enter the conference matches going into the spring, he is going to see more action on the doubles side. He is a good volleyer.”
“We did all right,” said Esposito. “My partner Tom [Becker] and I dominated the match and I used that momentum to carry through the singles match. It was basically serve, come to the net and put it away. It was pretty much serve and volley.”
Rider defeated the Seahawks 6-1 last fall and 7-0 in the Spring of 2006.
“Within the past few matches, we’ve battled,” Torres added. “That isn’t evident in the final team result but we have been playing better as the fall has gone on.”
The Broncs host Saint Francis-Pa. on Saturday in a non-conference match.
-RU-