Melbourne, Fla. – (2/23/2015) – After having two days to warm up under the rays of the Florida sun, the Chestnut Hill College tennis teams began their spring schedules with matches against Davenport University and the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). The Griffin men got an early start, traveling to the Star Island Resort in Kissimmee for an 8:00 a.m. match against Davenport University before returning to Melbourne for a dual match at FIT. Unfortunately, the Griffins ended the day empty handed as the Panthers of Davenport University defeated the men 8-1 prior to the Panthers of FIT securing respective 5-4 and 7-2 triumphs over the Griffins men and women.

Chestnut Hill College's (3-3) only point against Davenport University (3-4) came at number one doubles, where the partnership of senior Michael Humes (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) and freshman Pedro Oranges de Figueredo (Sao Paulo, Brazil) earned the Griffins a dramatic 8-7 (7-4) triumph. Unfortunately, the Panthers secured the bottom two doubles matches by identical 8-4 finals before sweeping the Griffins in individual play. Junior Henry Boyle (London, England) and senior Devin Hampton (Midland, Texas) had the Griffins best singles success, dropping respective decisions as number two (2-6, 6-4, 11-9) and number four (7-6 (7-4), 6-2) singles.

The men fared much better in their trip to FIT (2-3), as they nearly rallied from a 2-1 doubles deficit with three singles wins. Freshmen Pedro Festugato Regalin (Caxias do Sul, Brazil) and Lucas Bocaletto (Itatiba, Brazil) secured the doubles point in the top team flight (8-5), but bookend losses at number two doubles (8-3) and number three doubles (8-5) left the Griffins playing from behind heading to singles play, 2-1. There, the Panthers progressed their advantage to 4-3 with individual wins at number three (7-5, 6-1) and number one (6-2, 7-5) singles after an opening fifth-flight win (6-3, 6-2) from freshman Jonathan Ducretot (Antibes, France). But another Panther win at number two singles (7-6, 6-3) rendered respective fourth-flight (6-4, 6-0, 6-7) and sixth-flight (6-3, 7-5) wins from senior Steven Say (Cannes, France) and Humes useless in the 5-4 loss.

The women's match versus FIT (3-5) ended just before the men's did as the Panthers only allowed Chestnut Hill College (8-5) wins at number one doubles (9-7) and number two singles (6-3, 6-2). Senior Charlotte Dawson (Odessa, Texas) was involved in both points, first joining sophomore Laure-Anne Josso (Vannes, France) for the team win before recording her individual victory, 6-3, 6-2. Josso lost the top singles flight 6-2, 6-2, while fellow newcomer, freshman Lara Scholtze (Bod Hamburg, Germany) took her number three singles loss to a tiebreaker set (6-2, 4-6, 10-6).

The men's tennis team prepares for another busy day tomorrow, Tuesday, February 24, as they travel back to Kissimmee for a 9:00 a.m. match against Capital University before heading to Saint Leo University for a 3:00 p.m. match. Meanwhile the women visit the University of Tampa for a 3:00 p.m. match.