April 5, 2011

Clinton Twp., Mich. - After dropping a heartbreaking match to Grand Valley on Sunday, 5-4, the 37th-ranked Wayne State University men's tennis team (13-5, 5-1 GLIAC) bounced back with a gritty 6-3 victory over Ferris State University (12-5, 7-2 GLIAC) on Tuesday at PeachTree Tennis Club.

The Warriors, who now sit in a second-place tie with Grand Valley in the GLIAC, came out and won two of the three doubles matches from the Bulldogs. Then, with five of the singles matches going to three sets, including a pair of tiebreakers, WSU won four of six from FSU.

With the Warriors ahead 4-3, a win from either Oscar Gamarra (Guayaquil, Ecuador) or Melvin Joseph (Northville, Mich.) in their No. 3 and No. 4 singles bouts, respectively, would clinch the match. Both walked away with thrilling victories in three-set tie-breakers.

Joseph officially won it for the Warriors, defeating Justin Hermes, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3) before Gamarra capped his fourth straight singles win with a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3) triumph over Steven Roberts.

In No. 1 singles, Thomas Ducret (Paris, France) bested Kyle Revall 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, while Aman Gill (Windsor, Ont.) came back after losing the first set to beat Jack Swan, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, in the No. 2 spot.

Ducret and Michael FitzGerald (Grosse Ile, Mich.) teamed in No. 2 doubles, taking down Jack Swan and Tyler Morengo, 8-6. Gamarra paired with Alec Attala (Clinton Twp., Mich.) in the No. 3 position and scored an 8-6 win over Hermes and Oriol Vidal Cortes.

Jon Groszek (Dearborn Heights, Mich.) suffered a 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 setback to Vidal Cortes in No. 5 singles, while Matt Fisher (Shelby Twp., Mich.) fell 6-2, 6-4 to Morengo in the No. 6 spot.

Gill and Joseph dropped an 8-3 match to Revall and Roberts in No. 1 doubles.

The Warriors travel to the University of Findlay on Friday at 12:30 p.m. and visit Tiffin University on Saturday.