College Tennis
Monmouth University 7, Rider University 0
WEST LONG BRANCH—Like a good stock in the financial markets, you may take an early loss and it may be a big one but it is one that you hope will pay dividends down the road. That was the feeling after the Rider University men's team was swept at Monmouth Tuesday afternoon in a non-conference match.
"Monmouth had a much more experienced team," said head coach Ed Torres. "They were more consistent and hit the ball harder. With us having the young team that we do, a match like this will pay dividends in the future. You sometimes have to take a defeat like this in order to get better."
For Rider (2-6), freshman Drew Laverty (Mount Royal/Kingsway Regional) won two games in the first set at number four singles before losing. Freshman Greg Anastasio (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) and senior Marc Ashed (Vinceland) also won two games for the Broncs.
Last season, the Hawks defeated Rider 6-1 in Lawrenceville and in 2007, Monmouth won 7-0 in West Long Branch.
The women's tennis team travels to Manhattan for a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference match Sunday.
The men's team returns to action October 20, hosting Drexel in the final home match of the fall season.
