Men's Tennis | 2/24/2014 11:26:00 AM

    ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst men's tennis team grabbed an early lead by sweeping all three doubles matches and never looked back in handing West Liberty an 8-1 setback in non-conference action at the Pennbriar Athletic Club on Suday.
    Coach Sam McCullough's Hilltoppers (1-2) battled back from the slow start with a stronger showing in singles play but a couple of hard-luck losses left the visitors with little to show for it.
    Alex Hayden gave West Liberty a straight-set win at No. 2 singles and the Hilltoppers gave themselves a chance to pick up two more victories with Andy Ponder at No. 1 singles and Brandon Galici at No. 3.
    Ponder dropped the opening set of his match with Travis Beck but won the second set to force a tiebreaker. Ponder came up just short, 11-9, in the extra set.
    A similar scenario played out at No. 3 singles where Galici split the first two sets with Daniel Gimenez to force another tiebreaker. Gimenez and Galici fought through an extended series before Gimenez was able to pull out a 13-11 win.
    West Liberty is scheduled to return to action on March 7 with a 1 p.m. match at perennial Atlantic Region power Bluefield State.
 
MEN'S TENNIS
Mercyhurst 8, West Liberty 1
Singles
Travis Beck (MU) d. Andy Ponder, 6-3 6-7 (4) 11-9
Alex Hayden (WLU) d. Roberto Rizea, 6-4 6-4
Daniel Gimenez (MU) d. Brandon Galici, 6-4 4-6 13-11
Conor McCooey (MU) d. Nick Conforti, 6-1 6-0
Eric Drusko (MU) d. Zach Kirkwood, 6-1 6-1
Ross Molinaro (MU) won by default
Doubles
Beck/McCooey (MU) d.Ponder/Pablo Cimorra, 8-3
Rizea/Gimenez (MU) d. Hayden/Galici, 8-2
Drusko/Mauricio Canton-Diaz (MU) d. Conforti/Kirkwood, 8-5