Men's College Tennis
Rider University 4, St. Francis Brooklyn 3
LAWRENCEVILLE—The Rider University men's tennis team picked up the first win for head coach Doug Potkay with a 4-3 non-conference victory over St. Francis Brooklyn on Tuesday afternoon on the campus courts in Lawrenceville.
“I'm thrilled and the team came through in style,” said Potkay. “I'm proud of the team.”
With the match tied 3-3, the sixth singles was the deciding factor and trailing one set to none, Rider freshman Agaazi Berhane (Williamstown), playing in his first collegiate match, won the final two sets 7-6, 6-4 to clinch the team win for the Broncs.
“No one really told me the match was tied,” Berhane said after being mobbed by his teammates following the over three hour match. “I kind of realized it when coach told me that I would be playing the full third set instead of a 10 point super tiebreaker. I then realized everyone was depending on me and I tried to remain calm.”
“We could not have written a better script for Agaazi to win that way in his first collegiate match,” Potkay said. “He played with confidence. His opponent was a very good player and the points were well fought. He played quite relaxed, stayed calm and really made some nice forehand shots for winners. That's difficult to do. I like the way he played.”
“It didn't start out too well, losing the first set,” Berhane said. “The second set, I tried to stay more relaxed and in the third set, I started to cramp up and somehow, I managed to play through it. I played like I had nothing to lose.”
Also for Rider, freshman Jeremy Van Herwarde (Sussex, N.J./Pope John XXIII) won his third match in a row, 6-1, 6-1 at fourth singles and sophomore Matthew Begley (Pennington, N.J./Hopewell Valley Central) scored a 7-5, 6-1 victory at fifth singles.
“Matt had a nice match and has been working hard; everyone has been working hard,” Potkay said. “And Jeremy is on a three-match winning streak and has been working on his serve and his forehand and has also been playing well.”
Begley and Van Herwarde teamed up for a 6-4 win at second doubles and Berhane and sophomore Adam Levi (Princeton Junction, N.J./Pennington School) were 6-2 winners at third singles to clinch the doubles point for the Broncs.
The Rider women host Wagner College on Wednesday and both the men's and women's tennis teams travel to Mount St. Mary's on Sunday.
“This is a huge win for us,” Potkay said. “The team came through. I only guide them, they went out and did the work and got the win. This feels good and again, I'm proud of the team.”
“This feels amazing,” Berhane said. “I've been waiting so long to be eligible, working through all the paperwork and it feels great that I was able to come through and help the team.”
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