Broncs come up big with win against St. Francis

By Christopher Cole

The Broncs (2-4 overall, 0-1 MAAC) were a dominating force in their non-conference match against St. Francis-N.Y. last Saturday.

St. Francis didn’t manage to win a single game in three of the singles matches. Sophomore Will Haight defeated Elan Evans 6-2, 6-1; sophomore Marc Ashed defeated Tyrone Fordham 6-0, 6-0; freshman Chris Esposito defeated Todd Lovett 6-0, 6-0; and senior Jim Leone defeated Anthony Andrews 6-0, 6-0.

“Marc has had a very good year,” Head Coach Ed Torres said to Rider Sports Information. “He has teamed up with Will and won half of his doubles matches. Normally a No. 4 singles player, Marc moved up to three [Saturday] due to another player being injured and he played well. He is a nice player.”

The Broncs earned an additional win by forfeit as the Terriers didn’t have enough people for a singles match and a doubles match.

“They came with only five players so the match was not too competitive,” said Torres. “Our players played very well and we won 6-1.”

Surprisingly, St. Francis only victory was No.1 player Jindrich Chaloupka’s defeat of the Broncs’ No.1 player junior Casey Jedlinski 6-2, 6-0.

Chaloupka also won St. Francis’ only doubles win with Evans against Jedlinski and Esposito 8-4. Haight and Ashed defeated Fordham and Lovett 8-0.

With this win, the Broncs were able to snap a four-game losing streak. This is the team’s first win since the beginning of the season, when it beat the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) 4-3 on Sept. 15.

“As a team we have played some close matches,” Ashed said to Rider Sports Information. “To get off a four-match losing streak felt good. I played the same player that I saw in doubles and I tried to serve and volley. I knew if I put pressure on him, he wouldn’t be able to pass me at the net.

Coach Torres mentioned that the women’s team will play St. Francis in the spring.

The men’s team was scheduled to play Wagner on the road yesterday, but it was cancelled because of rain. No makeup date has been scheduled.

“Will and I are playing better as a team,” Ashed said to Rider Sports Information. “Last year we were more like two singles players on a doubles court. Now I think we are one of the better doubles teams in the MAAC
The men will play Siena in a MAAC match at home tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.