HILTON HEAD, S.C. – In the first match of its spring break trip, the Baldwin Wallace University men's tennis team defeated Cabrini (Pa.) University 7-2 at the Chaplin Park Tennis Center.
BW (7-0) took a 2-1 advantage after doubles play that featured intense matches at the top two spots. Junior Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar Athlete Roger Boyer (Medina/Brunswick) and freshman Michael Benotti (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) were the first duo to earn a point for the Yellow Jackets with an 8-3 victory at No. 3 doubles. Both the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles matches came down to the wire with Cabrini (3-4) taking the second doubles match by a score of 8-6. Junior ITA Scholar Athletes and All-Ohio Athletic Conference players Matt Harris (Akron/Revere) and Dominic Polifrone (Hudson) held a 5-2 lead on court No. 1 before surrendering four straight games and finding themselves in a 6-5 deficit. Harris and Polifrone did not waver, coming back to win the next three games and the match 8-6.
Singles play went much smoother as the Yellow Jackets took five of the six matches from the Cavaliers. Harris and Polifrone sailed to 6-2, 6-1 and 6-2, 6-0 victories and No. 1 and No. 2 singles, respectively. Sophomore ITA Scholar Athlete Jake Elbin (Findlay) breezed through his first set 6-1 but his opponent bounced back and stuck with the sophomore through a 7-5 second set. Benotti won 6-3, 6-1 at No. 5 singles and senior Alex Papke (Federal Way, Wash./Thomas Jefferson) rounded out the singles points with a 6-3, 6-0 win at No. 6 singles.
The Yellow Jackets will return to action on Sunday, March 4, when they take on a familiar foe in Defiance College at 3 p.m. at the Evian Tennis Center in Hilton Head.