BETHANY – Paced by three wins in doubles play and six straight-set victories in singles, the Bethany College men’s tennis team snapped a lengthy losing streak against PAC competition with a 9-0 triumph over Thiel Wednesday in a match played inside the Johnson Recreation Center on the BC campus.
The victory was the first in a conference match for the Bison since April 11, 2007 when they defeated Washington & Jefferson 6-3, breaking a 15-match losing streak.
In doubles play, freshman Dustin Maiolo (Stevensville, Ontario/St. Michael) and senior Evan Oslund (Oakmont, Pa./Linsly) had the most convincing victory with an 8-1 margin at #3. Senior Dustin Opalka (Cortland, Ohio/Lakeview) and junior Jared Patrick (McMechen, W.Va./John Marshall) were also impressive with an 8-4 decision at #1.
The tightest match was played at #2, where freshman James Peterson (Colorado Springs, Col./Cheyenne Mountain) and junior Ryan Rokisky (Weirton, W.Va./Weirton Madonna) pulled out an 8-6 win to send BC into singles play with a 3-0 advantage.
Bethany would clinch the team win with several convincing wins in singles, including three matches in which BC players lost four or fewer games. Maiolo coasted to a 6-0, 6-1 win at #4, while Opalka (6-1, 6-3 at #1) and Peterson (6-2, 6-2 at #2) helped secure the win with strong wins as well.
Completing the BC sweep were wins by Patrick at #3 (7-5, 7-5), Rokisky at #5 (6-4, 6-3) and Oslund at #6 (6-3, 7-5).
The Bison will be back on the court April 6 with a road match at Mount Aloysius.
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