(Posted March 27, 2006)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. ? In easily its tightest match of the 2006 season the Juniata College men?s tennis team found a way to win as the Eagles rallied from an early deficit to claim a 4-3 win over visiting Albright College in Commonwealth Conference action Monday in Huntingdon. Juniata raised its record to 8-0 with the win and is now 2-0 in conference play. The Lions dropped to 0-2 on the year and 0-1 in the conference.

After claiming two of three doubles matches to take a 1-0 lead, Albright earned three singles victories to put Juniata in a 3-1 hole. The Eagles then countered by winning the final three singles matches, including two of them in three sets to post the 4-3 win.

The deciding match came at fourth singles where Brandon Long (Lebanon/Lebanon) overcame a one-set deficit to earn the win. Trailing in game two, Long rallied, eventually winning the second set 7-5 and then cruised in set three to earn the 6-7, 7-5, 6-2 win that sealed the match.

It was a similar scenario at sixth singles where Jonathan Cohen (Highland Regional/Hollywood, Fla.) dropped the first set, and trailed in set two before rallying to claim a tight 2-6, 7-6, 6-2 victory.

Freshman Ryan Navarro (Bishop Guilfoyle/Altoona) earned Juniata?s other singles win in the match as he captured a 6-4, 6-2 win at the fifth singles position.

Juniata opened an early lead by capturing the critical doubles point on the strength of wins at the second and third doubles position. Tom Nelson (State College/State College) and Robert Bowser (Dallastown/York) notched an 8-0 win at second doubles while Jonathan Skoner (Central Catholi/Pittsburgh) and Jack Walfish (Spring-Ford/Royersford) earned an 8-4 win at the third doubles position to claim the point.

The Eagles have now surpassed their win total from all of the 2005 season, and have matched their two conference victories from last season.

Juniata will look to remain unbeaten when the Eagles travel to take on Commonwealth Conference foe Lebanon Valley on Wednesday.

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