NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Gabe Russotto (Bayonne, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) won his No. 5 singles match in three sets to seal a 4-3 win against Niagara in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) men's tennis action on Sunday.
After winning the doubles point and the singles matches at No. 2 singles and No. 3 singles, the Purple Eagles held a 3-1 edge before the Peacocks won the final three matches. Russotto was the final of the three matches to finish in Saint Peter's favor with a three-set victory at No. 5 singles against Chris Grossi 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to secure the team victory.
Andres-Sebastian Rojas (Quinto, Ecuador/Centebad) started the comeback with a 6-2, 6-0 win against Joesph Smithyman at No. 4 singles and Douglas Nover (Bayside, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) took a 6-3, 6-3 decision at No. 6 singles to tie the team match at 3-all.
Niagara started the day by winning the doubles point after taking two of the three tandem matches. Daniil Ivanov (Rostov-On-Don, Russia/UMKC) and Jorge Rodriguez (Havana, Cuba/Elizabeth) defeated Francis Nadeau and Felipe Fuentes at No. 1 doubles 6-4.
Niagara won No. 2 doubles with Grossi and Brent Boleslav downing Rojas and Russotto by a score of 6-4 and Smithyman and Mark Mackowski defeated Nover and Jonathan Paredes (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen) at No. 3 doubles, 6-3.
Ivanov won at No. 1 singles against Fuentes 6-1, 6-4, but Bolesslav downed Rodriguez at No. 2 singles 6-3, 6-0 and Nadeau defeated Paredes at No. 3 singles 6-2, 6-4 to give the Purple Eagles a 3-1 lead before Saint Peter's won the final three matches to secure the victory.
The Peacocks return to action against Rider at the Yanitelli Center Bubble on Saturday. Match time is 1 p.m.
