BRYN MAWR, Pa. – Scott Bickel (Winnetka, Illinois) picked up a big three-set victory for the Colgate men's tennis team Friday night but the Raiders fell in a dramatic match to the Villanova Wildcats, 6-1, at the Bryn Mawr Racquet Club.
 
Bickel earned his second win of the spring and third dual-match victory of his freshman season with the thrilling win that went all the way to a tiebreaker in the third set. Bickel was victorious over Tyler Roth, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (3).
 
Senior captain Jacob Daugherty (Wiesbaden, Germany) nearly earned a second point at No. 1 singles for the Raiders as he also went to a tiebreaker in the third set but just came up short. After dropping the first set, he stormed back for a dominant second-set win before the back-and-forth third set went to Stefan Suarez, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5).
 
The battle for the doubles point to kick off the match was just as thrilling and set the tone for the battle between the two programs. Bickel and Noah Rosenblat (Deerfield, Illinois) went to a tiebreaker at No. 1 doubles but came up just short, as did Daugherty and Tyler Krantz (Gate Mills, Ohio) at No. 2 doubles. The Raiders were within three games of taking the doubles point against their BIG EAST opponent.
 
DOUBLES
No. 1 – Elmore/Mulflur ('Nova) def. Bickel/Rosenblat ('Gate): 7-6
No. 2 – Dodson/Roth ('Nova) def. Daugherty/Krantz ('Gate): 7-5
No. 3 – Suarez/Czlonka ('Nova) def. Ablon/Dardis ('Gate): 6-2
 
SINGLES
No. 1 – Suarez ('Nova) def. Daugherty ('Gate): 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5)
No. 2 – Bickel ('Gate) def. Roth ('Nova): 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (3)
No. 3 – Flanagan ('Nova) def. Rosenblat ('Gate): 6-2, 6-3
No. 4 – Dodson ('Nova) def. Hartman ('Gate): 6-4, 6-2
No. 5 – Mulflur ('Nova) def. Dardis ('Gate): 7-6 (6), 6-0
No. 6 – Hurry ('Nova) def. Krantz ('Gate): 8-5
 
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Bobby Pennington
"First off, give credit to Villanova for out-playing us tonight. Had we been more mentally tough and clutch on the big points, it was a winnable 4-3 match. We lost a heartbreaking doubles point and credit goes to Daugherty and Bickel for going the distance in their three-set matches. We have to get back to work for La Salle Sunday."
 
UP NEXT
Colgate men's tennis returns to action Sunday evening when they take on the La Salle Explorers in Philadelphia at 5:30 p.m.