BEVERLY, Mass.—Gordon's James Hawn (Southborough, Mass.) survived three match points for his opponent and won the final five points of a third-set tiebreaker to clinch a 5-4 victory over rival Eastern Nazarene on Wednesday evening. The Fighting Scots and Lions traded punches all night, but it was the Scots who managed to stay undefeated just a few strokes before midnight.
 
The Fighting Scots raced out to an early 2-0 lead with wins at first and second doubles. Zach Hall (Sugar Land, Texas) and Mason Casady (Santa Barbara, Calif.) doubled up Vladislav Tolmachev (Perm, Russia) and Sam Son (Wilbraham, Mass.) 8-4 at the first flight. Mike D'Antuono (Mapleville, R.I.) and Peter Godwin (Manchester, Conn.) staved off a comeback from Sam McKay-Corkum (Rehoboth, Mass.) and Tyler Perron (Plympton, Mass.), 8-6.
 
Gordon held a 6-3 advantage at the third flight, but Davis Steelman (Darlington, Md.) and Andres Biondi (Barquisimeto, Venezuela) won the final five games of the match to take a doubles match from the Scots.
 
The Lions inched their way back by winning the first two matches in singles play. McKay-Corkum made quick work of D'Antuono 6-0, 6-1 at the third flight. Steelman handed Godwin a straight-set loss as well.
 
The Fighting Scots took the lead right back with wins at first and second singles. Hall edged out Tolmachev 6-1, 6-4, while Casady took care of Son with identical 6-3, 6-3 sets.
 
Perron evened the match at four aside with a comeback win over Joe Daugherty (Norfolk, Va.) at the sixth spot. The ENC senior dropped the first set 6-3 before winning with an inverse score in the second. Perron pulled away at the end of the third-set tiebreak 10-5 to put pressure on the fourth singles flight.
 
Hawn snuck past Kevin Paterno (Buenos Aires, Argentina) in a first-set tiebreaker 7-3, but Paterno struck back with a 6-3 win in the second set. Paterno needed just a point in the third-set tiebreaker to clinch the match for the Lions, but Hawn won five consecutive points to keep his team undefeated on the year.
 
Eastern Nazarene (5-4) has a week off before a home match against Salve Regina next Wednesday.  Gordon travels to Johnson & Wales next Monday for a 4 p.m. start. 
 

Singles competition

1. Zach Hall (GC) def. Vladislav Tolmachev (ENC) 6-1, 6-4

2. Mason Casady (GC) def. Sam Son (ENC) 6-3, 6-3

3. Sam McKay-Corkum (ENC) def. Michael D'Antuono (GC) 6-0, 6-1

4. James Hawn (GC) def. Kevin Paterno (ENC) 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 11-9

5. Davis Steelman (ENC) def. Peter Godwin (GC) 6-2, 6-1

6. Tyler Perron (ENC) def. Joe Daugherty (GC) 3-6, 6-3, 10-5

 

Doubles competition

1. Zach Hall/Mason Casady (GC) def. Vladislav Tolmachev/Sam Son (ENC) 8-4

2. Michael D'Antuono/Peter Godwin (GC) def. Sam McKay-Corkum/Tyler Perron (ENC) 8-6

3. Davis Steelman/Andres Biondi (ENC) def. James Hawn/Joe Daugherty (GC) 8-6

 

Match Notes

Eastern Nazarene 5-4 (1-1 CCC)

Gordon College 9-0 (2-0 CCC)

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,5,1,2,6,4)

Official: David Keene T-3:55 A-35