Box Score
Scranton, PA - Evan Bolus and Ethan Jones earned two important singles wins after a key CSAC men's tennis match between league leaders Marywood University and Neumann University was moved indoors as the Pacers downed the Knights 5-4 Sunday afternoon. With the Pacers leading 3-2, the match was moved from Marywood's campus to Birchwood's indoor courts in Clarks Summit due to several rain showers.
Marywood, who improved to 12-3 and 6-0 in CSAC action with the win, took an early 2-1 lead after doubles action. The one-doubles team of Greg Chilson (Mountainside, NJ) and Bolus (Clarks Summit, PA) opened with a tight 9-8 (8-6) win over Neumann’s Chris Brown and Dan Harnos. The visitors then tied the match up with an 8-4 win at two-doubles, but Marywood’s third team of Todd Doran (South Windsor, CT) and Wyatt Nolan (Montoursville, PA) earned a victory by the same score to put the Pacers back up at the end of doubles play.
Neumann (6-6, 4-1 CSAC) tied the match at 2-2 when Chilson was forced to retire against Brown in the top singles flight after being down 3-0 in the second set. Brown had won the first set by a 7-5 score. Marywood went back up 3-2 on a Doran win at three-singles as he downed Brian Crispin 6-4, 6-3. Several rain storms then forced an hour and a half delay and eventually the match was moved to Birchwood Tennis Courts, an indoor facility in nearby Clarks Summit.
There, Neumann would go up 4-3 when Abe Joseph defeated Bao Nguyen (Scranton, PA) in three sets. Nguyen dominated the opening match, winning 6-0, but Joseph responded with 6-4 and 6-2 wins in the second and third sets to earn the win.
Ethan Jones (Lebanon, PA) then tied the match at 4-4 for Marywood with a hard-fought, 7-5, 6-2 win at five singles play. Bolus then defeated Greg Bridgeman 6-3, 7-5 at two-singles to wrap up the win for Marywood. The win sets Marywood up in favorable position to earn the top seed at the upcoming CSAC playoffs.
The Pacers can clinch the top seed with a win over Gwynedd-Mercy College when the two teams face off next Saturday in Scranton at 1:00 pm.