MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Endicott men's tennis team defeated Saint Anselm, 5-4, in its spring season opener on Friday afternoon at the Carr Center.
Endicott held a 2-1 advantage after doubles as the Gulls took the No. 1 and No. 3 slots from the Hawks. Christopher Kirkpatrick (Newburyport, Mass.) and Michael Dolph (Stratford, Conn.) claimed an 8-2 victory at No. 1, while Sean McAndrews (Vineyard Haven, Mass.) and Matthew Doherty (Plymouth, Mass.) edged Kyle Harris (North Reading, Mass.) and Robert Patenaude (Augusta, Maine) by a 9-8 (8-6) score at No. 3 to close out doubles action with the 2-1 lead.
In singles play, Kirkpatrick notched a 6-2, 6-4 triumph at No. 1, while Dolph breezed to a 6-3, 6-1 victory at No. 3 to put Endicott ahead 4-1. Saint Anselm went on to pick up victories at the No. 2 and No. 5 positions, before McAndrews earned a gritty 6-3, 3-6, 10-6 victory in the No. 4 slot to seal the victory for the Gulls.
TOP QUOTE
"Always good to start off the spring season with a win," said Endicott men's tennis head coach Jeremy Howard. "We are looking forward to getting back after it in practice for the next couple weeks before our trip to Hilton Head."
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Dolph is now 5-0 at the No. 3 singles position for the Gulls this season.
- Kirkpatrick is undefeated in the No. 1 singles slot (5-0).
- As a doubles pairing, Dolph and Kirkpatrick are 3-2 at the No. 1 position after today's 8-2 victory over Saint Anselm's.
- McAndrews and Doherty picked up their first victory in doubles play this season in their first try.
WHAT'S NEXT
Endicott (2-3) returns to action in mid-March where the Gulls will play in the Spring Tennis Fest in Head, South Carolina. Saint Anselm (0-6) takes on American International College on March 19 at a time to be determined later. For the latest on Endicott Athletics, follow the Gulls on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
