March 13, 2008

Bronx, N.Y. - Fordham's Brandon Abbatiello was victorious over Balazs Szikla at fourth singles to score the Rams' lone point of the match as Fordham fell to Fairfield, 6-1, on the Hawthorn/Rooney Court on Thursday. With the loss, the Rams fall to 1-7 on the year while Fairfield improves to 4-3.

The Rams opened the match by dropping the doubles point to the Stags, losing all three doubles matches. Dallas Harting and Abbatiello lost at first doubles to George Laffey and Robert Ferrante, 8-5, while Austin Shoup and Pat Tool dropped second doubles to Glen Gannon and Szikla, 8-4, and Ken Fukumoto and Nick Kelly were upended by Ryan Berthod and Chip Palumbo at third doubles, 8-4.

Abbatiello went to three sets to win at fourth singles, winning the first set, 6-3, before dropping the second, 7-5. He then came back to win the tie-breaker, 10-7.

Fairfield won the match by taking the other five singles matches with Berthod taking first singles from Shoup in straight sets (6-3, 6-3) while Harting went to three sets with Ferrante, losing the first, 5-7, before taking the second, 6-3, forcing a tie-breaker which was won by Ferrante, 10-7. Tool fell in straight sets to Laffey at third singles (6-0, 6-0) while Sotiris Georgiou lost in two strongly contests sets to Gannon at fifth singles (7-6, 7-6). At sixth singles, Peter Slucky fell to Palumbo, 6-2, 6-1.

The Rams will next be in action on Saturday, March 29th as they host the University of Rhode Island on the Hawthorn/Rooney Courts at 1:00 p.m.

Fairfield at Fordham March 13, 2008

Doubles

#1 George Laffey/Robert Ferrante (Fair) def. Dallas Harting/Brandon Abbatiello (Ford), 8-5

#2 Glen Gannon/Balazs Szikla (Fair) def. Austin Shoup/Pat Tool (Ford), 8-4

#3 Ryan Berthod/Chip Palumbo (Fair) def. Ken Fukumoto/Nick Kelly (Ford), 8-4

Singles

#1 Ryan Berthod (Fair) def. Austin Shoup (Ford), 6-3, 6-3

#2 Robert Ferrante (Fair) def. Dallas Harting (Ford), 5-7, 6-3, 10-7

#3 George Laffey (Fair) def. Pat Tool (Ford), 6-0, 6-0

#4 Brandon Abbatiello (Ford) def. Balazs Szikla (Fair), 6-3, 5-7, 10-7

#5 Glen Gannon (Fair) def. Sotiris Georgiou (Ford), 7-6, 7-6

#6 Chip Palumbo (Fair) def. Peter Slucky (Ford), 6-2, 6-1