(Posted March 29, 2006)

ANNVILLE, Pa. ? The Juniata College men?s tennis team just keeps finding ways to win as the Eagles earned three three-set singles victories to propel them to a 4-3 win over Commonwealth Conference foe Lebanon Valley Wednesday afternoon in Annville. The victory raised Juniata?s record to 9-0 overall and 3-0 in the Commonwealth Conference, while the Flying Dutchmen are now 5-5 on the year and 1-2 in conference play.

For the first time in its three conference matches the Eagles did not earn the doubles point as the home team won all three doubles contests. But Juniata responded by taking four singles matches, three of which were decided in three sets.

The deciding match came at the second singles position as freshman Jonathan Skoner (Central Catholic/Pittsburg) rallied from a one-set deficit and then earned the victory in a third-set tiebreaker to seal the win for Juniata. Skoner claimed his match by a score of 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7).

Junior Brandon Long (Lebanon/Lebanon) also found himself behind a set in his third singles match, but was able to rally to claim a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 win. Freshman Ryan Navarro (Bishop Guilfoyle/Altoona) also trailed after dropping the first set of his fourth singles match, but came back to claim a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 victory.

Juniata?s other singles win actually was the only match of the day to be decided in straight sets as Jonathan Cohen (Highland Regional/Hollywood, Fla.) posted a 6-4, 6-4 win. Both Neil Eicher (Altoona/Altoona) at first singles and Robert Bowser (Dallastown/York) at sixth singles won their opening sets before eventually falling in three sets.

The Eagles will hit the courts again on Thursday when the team travels to take on Seton Hill for a non-conference match.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.