Hawks Overcome Swarthmore
Swarthmore (0-2 overall) hosted Division I St. Joseph's (Pa.) Sunday afternoon, falling 6-1 at the Michael Mullan Tennis Center. Despite the overall loss, it was a day of triumph for Jonathan Reiss '07, ranked seventh in the Atlantic South region, claiming victories in his singles' and doubles' match.
At No. 2 doubles, Reiss and Jonathan Lo '08, defeated St. Joseph's Patrick Adams and Antonio Aniello 9-7 in a pro set. In a match riddled with overshots and returns catching the net, Reiss and Lo managed to maintain control and manipulate their opponents. At No. 2 singles, a combination of strategic finesse and relentless effort allowed Reiss triumph over Hawk opponent Chris Spencer 6-1, 6-2.
Swarthmore's No. 1 singles player Zach Rodd '06 lost a series of deuces that could have either tied or finished off the set. St. Joseph's Patrick Adams mentally outplayed Rodd in the first set, as well as the first half of the second. Towards the end, Rodd battled to gain momentum. A Garnet teammate, moved by Rodd's visible internal struggle cried out, "Come on Zach, fight." Rodd replied, "I am fighting." Unfortunately, his late surge was not enough to win and Rodd, the fourth-ranked player in the Atlantic South region, fell 6-2, 7-5.
Swarthmore will host its third consecutive Division I opponent on Wednesday March 1, welcoming Lafayette to the Mullan Tennis Center. The match will commence at 3:00 pm.