SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Scott Bickel and Dean Vlassis both had deep runs in their respective singles flights, as the Colgate Men's Tennis team got its fall campaign started in a strong way at the Siena Invite.
 
Bickel, who played in the one spot all of the 2019 spring season on the way to first team Patriot League honors, picked up where he left off. He won a pair of close matches against competition from Holy Cross and Hofstra to reach the Flight A final. In the championship match, he battled back to force a final set, before he fell by a narrow 10-7 margin.
 
In his collegiate debut, Vlassis took care of a pair of opponents from Fairleigh Dickinson and one from Hofstra to reach the final in Flight C. He claimed the opening set in convincing fashion in the championship, but was unable to secure the match victory after he dropped the final set 10-7.
 
Also in singles play, Rohan Gupta dug back after he dropped his opening match in the B Flight. He claimed wins over players from Holy Cross and Lafayette to reach the backdraw final, where he was topped 8-3.
 
In doubles, Gupta and Nick Potter teamed to win a pair of matches in the B Flight to reach the final. They needed a tiebreaker in the final, but eventually fell in a 7-6 (3) decision. Vlassis and Peter Hartman also reached a flight final, as they claimed two wins in the C Flight before a narrow 6-4 defeat.
 
FROM THE SOURCE       
 
Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach Bobby Pennington
 
"The great news for the men is that we got to four flight finals, two in singles and two in doubles.  The bad news is that we lost three of the four in tiebreakers and the other by a break."
 
"Game balls in singles go to Bickel and Vlassis for getting to the finals in their flights and the doubles team of Gupta and Potter for reaching the finals."
 
"The guys need to get physically and mentally tougher to win the close battles. Overall, we won a lot of matches and have a much better attitude and culture than last season. We look forward to a high quality field at Villanova." 
 
SIENA INVITE FINAL RESULTS
Flight A Singles
Scott Bickel
def. Chen (Holy Cross) 8-6
def. Jackson (Hofstra) 6-4, 4-6, 10-8
lost to Barry (Lafayette) 1-6, 6-1, 10-7
 
Flight B Singles
Nate Romig
lost to Kramer (Lafayette) 8-7 (9)
def. Lopez Torres (Siena) 8-2
lost to Sasagawa (Hofstra) 8-4
 
Peter Hartman
lost to Kovalenko (Hofstra) 8-7 (0)
lost to Yurconic (Lafayette) 8-6
 
Rohan Gupta
lost to Nishitani (Hofstra) 8-3
def. Ruenhorst (Holy Cross) 8-2
def. Yurconic (Lafayette) 8-5
lost to Sasagawa (Hofstra) 8-3
 
Flight C Singles
Nick Potter
def. Hagan (Holy Cross) 8-3
lost to Autuch (Fairleigh Dickinson) 6-0, 6-1
 
Kun Tan
lost to Oprisor (Fairleigh Dickinson) 8-4
def. Murphy (Holy Cross) 8-0
lost to Bellino (Siena) 9-8 (8)
 
Flight D Singles
Mason Caldwell
lost to Lovallo (Lafayette) 8-4
def. O'Flynn (Holy Cross) 9-8 (6)
 
Dean Vlassis
def. Wolfe (Hofstra) 8-7 (4)
def. Oberli (Siena) 6-4, 6-3
def. Barnett (Siena) 1-6, 7-5, 10-5
lost to Sader (Fairleigh Dickinson) 6-2, 2-6, 10-7
 
Flight A Doubles
Bickel/Tan
def. Lopez Torres/Del Olmo (Siena) 6-4
lost to Pukse/Gudins (Fairleigh Dickinson) 6-2
 
Flight B Doubles
Romig/Caldwell
def. Kaiser/Nelson (Holy Cross) 6-3
lost to Sasagawa/Pezzoli (Hofstra) 6-2
 
Potter/Gupta
def. Kirkwood/Sawani (Siena) 6-4
def. Espiritu/Koyama (Fairleigh Dickinson) 6-4
lost to Sasagawa/Pezzoli (Hofstra) 7-6 (3)
 
Flight C Doubles
Hartman/Vlassis
def. Bellino/Giannakitsidis (Siena) 6-3
def. Slowinski/O'Flynn (Holy Cross) 7-6 (6)
lost to Autuch/Oprisor (Fairleigh Dickinson) 6-4
 
UP NEXT
The Raiders return to action Sept. 13-15 when they visit Villanova, Pa. for the Villanova Invite.