March 17, 2007

Results

Daytona Beach, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman University broke their three-match losing skid on Thursday with a 5-2 victory over visiting Lafayette University in a men's tennis contest held at the City Island Tennis Complex in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The Wildcats and Billikens agreed to keep it short on Saturday, so to speak, as both teams agreed not to play a doubles match point unless it was needed. The good thing for the Wildcats is that it wasn't need with superb play in singles competition.

B-CU senior Thabani Sithole started things off at the No. 1 position against SLU's Felipe Acosta. Sithole managed to escape past his opponent with scores of 6-3, 7-5 to help the `Cats (8-9) out to an early lead.

Freshman phenom Christian Cruz did not let the heat up as he collected a straight-set win against SLU's Sean McManus 6-3, 6-3. The Billikens of St. Louis (4-7) were looking for a bright spot until it finally came up St. Patrick's Day green in the middle and end, respectively.

SLU's P.J. Hendrie outlasted B-CU's Jerome Ward at the No. 3 position in a supermatch ... 6-7 (4), 7-5, 10-8. Fellow Billiken Matt Gordon scored a singles victory over Edson Luiz Gomez in the No. 6 position on scores of 6-0, 6-2.

But back-to-back supermatch victories for the Wildcats' Stefan James and Yannick Jackson at the No. 4 and No. 5 positions helped B-CU cruise away to the win.

Bethune-Cookman takes to the court again next Friday, Mar. 23 when they travel to Norfolk State University for a key Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference [MEAC] showdown at 9 a.m. in Norfolk, Va.