LANCASTER, Pa. – Max Oberholtzer and Paul Vecchio picked up an impressive doubles victory in the Ursinus College men's tennis team's Centennial Conference opener at Franklin & Marshall on Saturday, the lone Bears' victory in a clash of regionally ranked rivals.
Oberholtzer and Vecchio outlasted Jack Rothman and Will Samuels, 9-7, at number one doubles for Ursinus (6-2, 0-1), ranked 19th in the ITA Atlantic South. It was the seventh consecutive victory for the Bears' top pairing, which improved to 9-2 overall this season.
The Diplomats (2-3, 1-0), slotted 12th in the region, captured the remaining matches. Inigo Flores and Zack Levin took down senior Henry Burke and freshman Connor DeFaber-Schumacher, 8-2, at number two, while Isaac Salas and Andrew Pace won 8-1 over senior Jordan Hodess and freshman Devin Paulison at number three.
Oberholtzer nearly made it a perfect individual afternoon, but Rothman claimed a 6-3, 1-6, 1-0 (11-9) triumph in a back-and-forth slugfest in the first singles flight. Burke, who fell 6-4, 6-1 to Levin at third singles; and DeFaber-Schumacher, who lost 6-4, 6-0 to Will Samuels at number five, were the closest Ursinus came to winning a set in singles play.
The men's tennis team welcomes Moravian to its home courts for a non-conference tilt on Sunday, March 26.