Harford Men’s Tennis Opens Season with 5-3 Win over Rhode Island

From the HCC sports desk:

BEL AIR, Md.—The Harford men’s tennis team opened the 2009 season with a 5-3 victory over Rhode Island on Monday afternoon at Harford CC. The Fighting Owls (1-0) claimed victories at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles and Nos. 1, 3 and 4 singles to earn the win over the Knights (0-1). The No. 5 singles match was suspended due to wet court conditions, but will be resumed when the teams meet for Wednesday’s match at Harford.

Freshman Chris Blackwell (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air/RPI) was head coach George Budelis’s MVP of the match after pairing with sophomore Josh Hays (Belcamp, Md./Harford Tech) to defeat Dan Rivard and Mike Wilbur, 8-3 at No. 2 doubles and downing Rivard, 6-4, 6-4 at No. 4 singles.

Freshmen Ben Wade (Joppatowne, Md./Joppatowne) and Steve Heagy (Fallston, Md./Fallston) were the only other doubles winners, as they defeated Chris Izzo and James Lachance, 9-8 (7-4) in the No. 3 slot, while freshmen Josh Meier (Belcamp, Md./Home School) and Josh Hicks (Fallston, Md./Home School) fell to Nate York and Alex Cavanagh, 9-7 in the No. 1 position.

Hicks rebounded to defeat York, 6-3, 6-4 at No. 1 singles, while Meier dispatched Wilbur, 6-2, 6-1 at No.3 singles. Cavanagh blanked Hays, 6-0, 6-0 in the No. 2 spot, while Izzo defeated freshman Mazon Dickerson (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen) at No. 6 singles.

The No. 5 singles match between Heagy and Lachance saw Heagy take 6-3 first set win, and the second set, which is tied at four games each, will be continued on Wednesday, when the teams faceoff for a 3:30 p.m. match.