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Spartans Clinch #2 Seed in Upcoming ECC Tournament with 5-2 Victory at Roberts Wesleyan

Spartans Clinch #2 Seed in Upcoming ECC Tournament with 5-2 Victory at Roberts Wesleyan
Posted: Apr 12, 2019

ROCHESTER, NY - The St. Thomas Aquinas College men's tennis team won a pivotal East Cost Conference match against Roberts Wesleyan College on Friday at the beautiful Midtown Athletic Club.  The 5-2 victory clinched a 2-seed for the Spartans in the upcoming East Coast Conference tournament, and marks the highest conference tournament seed in program history.

Continuing their strong doubles play, the Spartans again took the doubles point with wins at 2nd and 3rd doubles, while dropping a nail biter at the first position.  Paul Voigt '21 (Cologne, Germany) and Enej Hasicevic '20 (Palma de Mallorca, Spain) teamed at the second slot to earn a 6-2 victory - their eleventh triumph of the year.  The Dutch pairing of Tim Fleerkamp '20 (Waalre, Netherlands) and Gijs Offringa '22 (Hollandsche Rading, Netherlands) were relentless at the net to pull out a 6-3 win and earn the Spartans the doubles point.  Freshmen Marcel Volz '22 (Iffezheim, Germany) and Mitchell Harrison '22 (Brisbane, Australia) battled back from 4-1 to force the lead Redhawk duo to grind out a 7-5 win.

After the Redhawks evened up the scoring with a win at second singles, Volz put the Spartans back on top with a 6-2, 6-4 victory at first singles.  He currently leads the team in singles victories with thirteen, and is a perfect 4-0 in ECC play to date.  

Similar to his results on Wednesday, Voigt dropped his first set only to bounce back to win in the third set at third singles.  The sophomore kept the pressure on his opponent and was able to rip several blistering winners down the line for the win.

The clincher role switched to sixth singles this match, with Luke Taplin '20 (Aukland, New Zealand) taking a 7-5, 6-2 straight set win to seal the deal for the Spartans.  Up 40-15 in the final game, Taplin went supersonic with a second serve ace to move STAC to 3-1 overall in conference play.  Hasicevic rounded out the scoring with a third set super tie break win.

St. Thomas Aquinas is next in action on Saturday as they travel westward to take on Daemen College in their final ECC match of the season at Miller Tennis Center.  First serve is set for 7:30 PM.

St. Thomas Aquinas 5, Roberts Wesleyan 2

Doubles
1.  Guido Jansen/Boyd Blackburn (RWC) def. Marcel Volz/Mitch Harrison (STAC), 7-5
2.  Paul Voigt/Enej Hasicevic (STAC) def. Matthew Forrest/Harmeet Luthra (RWC), 6-2
3.  Tim Fleerkamp/Gijs Offringa (STAC) def. Dennis Barlotta/Andrew Freeman (RWC), 6-3
Order of Finish:  2, 3, 1
Singles
1.  Marcel Volz (STAC) def. Boyd Blackburn (RWC), 6-2, 6-4
2.  Guido Jansen (RWC) def. Tim Fleerkamp (STAC), 6-2, 6-0
3.  Paul Voigt (STAC) def. Matthew Forrest (RWC), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
4.  Dennis Barlotta (RWC) def. Gijs Offringa (STAC), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
5.  Enej Hasicevic (STAC) def. Andrew Freeman (RWC), 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (3)
6.  Luke Taplin (STAC) def. Harmeet Luthra (RWC), 7-5, 6-2
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3, 4, 6*, 5
 
STAC (9-5 Overall, 3-1 ECC)
RWC (11-8 Overall, 2-2 ECC)