Daemen University Athletics

Western New York's Premier Division II Team

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Men's Tennis 2/24/2017 11:50:00 PM Mike Miranto, Associate A.D. for Communications

Men's Tennis Falls To Davis & Elkins

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. - Playing at Miller Tennis Center for the third Friday night this month, the Daemen College men's tennis team fell 6-3 to visiting Davis & Elkins College in a non-conference dual match.

Daemen was looking to make it two straight wins at MTC after downing Salem International University 7-2 a week ago (Feb. 17), but the Wildcats suffered their first loss of the season by three points or fewer, moving their record to 2-8 overall.

The D&E Senators (1-2 record), members of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, picked up their first win of the season.

The Senators opened the match by taking two of the three points that were up for grabs in doubles action. Daemen got on the board with a win in the second doubles position from sophomores David Gonzalez Villegas (Pereira, Colombia/Liceo Frances de Pereira) and Ricardo Ruiz Martinez (Valencia, Spain/American International College); they downed D&E's Samuel Vallieres (Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada) and Matthew Alexander (Bath, England) 8-2. The Daemen duo is now 3-1 when paired together this spring.

Singles play was tight, and Daemen narrowed the gap with wins by Mark Veitengruber (Rockford, Mich./Rockford) and Justin Milner (Ithaca, N.Y./Ithaca). But, the Senators picked up wins in all three matchups that took three sets to decide, sealing the deal for their dual match victory.

Veitengruber got through his match at third singles relatively unscathed, ousting 2015-16 first-team All-GMAC selection Vallieres 6-1, 6-1. Milner's win came in the fifth singles position as he took down Alexander in straight sets (6-0, 6-3) for his third straight singles win.

The three-set affairs came at first, fourth and sixth singles. D&E freshmen Ivan Bonderanko (Ukraine) outlasted Gonzalez Villegas 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the top spot. In the fourth position, Jack Clifton (Purley, U.K.), another first-team All-GMAC pick last year, earned a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 win over DC freshman Fabian Wilde (Crimmitschau, Germany/Julius Motteler). And lastly, Tristram Spitsnaugle (Vienna, W. Va.) rebounded after dropping the first set to defeat DC's Andrew LeMar (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) 3-6, 7-6, 1-0.

Daemen returns to action with a late afternoon (4 p.m.) dual match tomorrow (Feb. 25) at Le Moyne College.

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Players Mentioned

David Gonzalez Villegas: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Andrew LeMar: 5' 7"; Redshirt Sophomore

Justin Milner: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Mark Veitengruber: 6' 0"; Junior

Fabian Wilde: 5' 8"; Freshman

Ricardo Ruiz Martinez: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

David Gonzalez Villegas
: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Andrew LeMar
: 5' 7"; Redshirt Sophomore

Justin Milner
: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Mark Veitengruber
: 6' 0"; Junior

Fabian Wilde
: 5' 8"; Freshman

Ricardo Ruiz Martinez
: 5' 8"; Sophomore