NORTON, Mass. – First year Jaime Galligo (Madrid, Spain) and junior Daniel Bor (Seattle, Wash.) were both double-winners for the Wheaton College (Mass.) men's tennis team in a 6-3 victory over visiting Endicott College this afternoon at Beard Field House on the Wheaton campus in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons improve to 3-2 on the season, while the Gulls fall to 1-3.
Galligo teamed with classmate Jake Murray (San Diego, Calif.) for a thrilling 8-7 (8-6) victory over Endicott junior Oliver Pope (South Dartmouth, Mass.) and sophomore Conrad Kadel (Heidelberg, Germany). The match was knotted at 7-7, before Wheaton took the tie-breaker, 8-6, to take the match and give the Lyons a 2-1 lead after doubles play.
The match was representative of how tightly contested and hard-fought the near four-hour match was with four singles matches going the maximum three sets and two of the doubles matches going to the brink before a winner was decided.
Bor engaged in his own nail-biter at number three doubles, combining with first year Calvin Van Dyke (Albuquerque, N.M.) for an 8-6 triumph over junior George Danes (Old Lyme, Conn.) and sophomore Aaron Terpko (Shrewsbury, Mass.).
Galligo cruised at number one singles, dropping just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 win over Kadel, while Bor gave Wheaton the match's deciding point with a three-set victory at fourth singles. Bor took the first frame off Gull senior Julian Richtarich (Naples, Fla.), 6-4, before succumbing to a 7-6 (4) setback in the middle set. Bor rebounded to take the final set, 6-2, to give the Lyons a 5-2 lead in the dual match.
Richtarich paired with sophomore Antonio Marsallo (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) to take down Wheaton's number two doubles duo of first year Paul Berteaux (Courbevoie, France) and senior Eli Hanlon (Branford, Conn.), 8-4, to earn the visitors' only point in doubles play.
Berteaux gutted out a grueling three-set affair over Danes at number two singles. Danes took the opening set, 6-4, before Berteaux returned the favor with a 6-4 showing of his own in the second set. Berteaux looked to close out the final frame with a 5-3 lead, but suffered a cramp that allowed Danes to close to within 5-4. Berteaux received treatment and was able to squeak out one more game for the Lyons to take the set and the match, 6-4.
First year Jack Thain (The Woodlands, Texas) was Wheaton's final singles winner with a 7-5, 6-4 decision over Endicott junior Hudson De Risi (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) at sixth singles.
Marsallo scored a win at number three singles over Murray. Murray won the opening set, 6-4, but Marsallo managed a 7-6 (4) win in the second set, before finding his zone and taking the third frame, 6-2, for the Gulls. Pope was also a singles winner for Endicott with a triumph at number five over Hanlon. Hanlon played to a 6-4 win in the opening set, before Pope eked out a 7-6 (6) effort in the middle set. Pope's task was a bit easier in the third set with a 6-2 outcome.
The Lyons return to the court on March 11, when they take on University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse at 12:30 p.m. in Lakeland, Fla., while the Gulls travel to West Hartford, Conn. to play University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) on March 3 at 9:30 a.m.
