LANCASTER, Pa. – Under some great early spring weather, excluding the occasional wind, the Franklin & Marshall men's tennis team was able to play its first live match of the spring at the Brooks Tennis Center on Tuesday afternoon. The Diplomats found themselves matched up against another nationally-ranked opponent in No. 26 Mary Washington, dropping an eventual 8-1 score against the Eagles.
The Diplomats earned their team point during some very competitive doubles matches. The F&M pairing of Pedro Norte and Gonzalo Gentou picked up its second doubles victory together this spring via an 8-6 victory. Franklin & Marshall was battling for the lead going into singles play as Anthony Casale and Isaac Rockower were locked in a tiebreak at No. 3 doubles that eventually went to the visitors by a 7-4 score.
Although Mary Washington was victorious during each of the singles matches, the Diplomats again played strong tennis against their nationally-ranked foes. Both Luke Brodsky and Anthony Casale forced 10-point tiebreaks to decide their respective matches before each dropped 10-7 scores in that decisive game. Zac Ashtiani additionally forced a first-set tiebreak against the No. 20 player in the Division III rankings.
Men's tennis will be back at home on Wednesday as the team hosts Division I Villanova. First serves in that match are slated for 4 p.m.
#26 Mary Washington 8, Franklin and Marshall 1
Doubles
1: Peter Leese/Rishi Charan Shankar (UMW) def. Zac Ashtiani/Luke Brodsky (F&M); 8-4
2: Pedro Norte/Gonzalo Gentou (F&M) def. Artis Hart/Andrew Watson (UMW); 8-6
3: Andrew Cooper/Brock Ladehoff (UMW) def. Anthony Casale/Isaac Rockower (F&M); 8-7 (4)
Singles
1: #20 Rishi Charan Shankar (UMW) def. Zac Ashtiani (F&M); 7-6 (4), 6-3
2: Andrew Watson (UMW) def. Isaac Rockower (F&M); 6-2, 7-5
3: Brock Ladehoff (UMW) def. Gonzalo Gentou (F&M); 6-3, 6-4
4: Artis Hart (UMW) def. Luke Brodsky (F&M); 6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (7)
5: Peter Leese (UMW) def. Pedro Norte (F&M); 6-4, 6-4
6: Ryan Meyer (UMW) def. Anthony Casale (F&M); 7-5, 6-7 (5), 1-0 (7)
