On an afternoon when both the men’s and women’s programs played, the College of Staten Island split a pair of tennis matches today with St. Joseph’s College of Long Island at the CSI Tennis Center this afternoon. On the men’s side, the Eagles scored a 7-2 win over the Dolphins, while the CSI women exacted revenge with a 7-2 win on their end. CSI’s men fell to 2-8 overall while the women lifted to 17-3.
Things weren’t looking great for the women after doubles, as the Eagles took themselves a 2-1 lead. CSI’s lone doubles win came at the top, with Sabrina Bragerton-Nasert and Nozima Toshpulatova scoring an 8-5 win over SJC’s Nancy Marroquin and Katie Soeder.
It seemed like momentum might turn in the Eagles favor, but the Dolphins did a splendid job of turning things around in singles, sweeping the entire lineup, top to bottom. All Dolphins won in straight sets, with Toshpulatova winning by default in No. 2 Singles. Looking sharp was Madiha Mulla, who notched a 6-1, 6-4, win over Lindsey Merker at No. 4, and Michelle Kushnir at No. 5 was lights-out in a 6-2, 6-2 win. Jean Baak won by an identical score at No. 3, while Jacqueline Jamaleddine won her No. 6 flight 6-1, 6-4. In the pole position, Bragerton-Nasert took out SJC’s Marroquin, 6-3, 6-love.
The CSI men did not have the same luck. CSI fell behind 2-0 right away by having to concede No. 6 Singles and No. 3 Doubles, and from there, they could not get much traction. Daniel Ursomanno and Austin Kapetanakis scored a solid, 8-5, win No. 1 Doubles, but one flight lower, Ed Ruffe and Jack Benjamin lost a 9-8 (7-4) nail biter to the Eagles’ Tom O’Keefe and Stephen Fox. When play turned to singles, only Ruffe scored a win, notching a 7-6, 6-1 winner over O’Keefe. CSI’s only other chance was at No. 1, where Ursomanno dropped a 2-6, 6-3, 10-8 heartbreaker.
The CSI men return to action on Monday, when they face York College at 3:30pm at home. The CSI women will be idle until things get underway in the NCAA National Championship Tourney, which kicks off the weekend of May 9.
