YORK, Pa. - The Messiah men's tennis team got off to a great start in their 2021 season, taking down the York College Spartans (Pa.) 9-0 on the road Saturday afternoon. The Falcons handled the Spartans in doubles matches, taking a 3-0 lead before dropping just a pair of sets in singles matches en route to their victory. 

Duo of Falcons Claim First Wins
Sophomore Jonathan Baker and junior Jaron Wenger picked up their first collegiate doubles victories Saturday afternoon. Baker teamed up with Jarod Snader in an 8-1 win in No. 2 doubles while Wenger and AJ Swanson claimed an 8-5 win in No. 3 doubles.

It wouldn't take them long to win their first collegiate singles matches, as Baker completed a comeback against Scott Miller after dropping set one 7-5. He would win set two 6-4 and since the Falcons had already claimed the match victory, they played a single game to 10 points in lieu of a third set in which Baker won 10-8 to win at No. 4 singles. Wenger took care of business in No. 5 singles against Camden Kosovac in straight sets (6-4 & 6-3). 

Great All Around Performances
In No. 1 doubles, the duo of Andrew Bookman and Galen Fitzkee handily won 8-2 over Tej Laliwala and Jack Leinbach of York. Bookman would drop his first set to Laliwala in singles competition before fighting back to win the following sets 6-2, and like Baker would play to 10 instead of a third set in which he won 10-6 to win the match. Fitzkee would breeze by Leinbach in singles, only surrendering one game (6-0 & 6-1).

Jarod Snader would make quick work of Michael Spagnoli in No. 3 singles (6-1 & 6-1) while AJ Swanson had a little more trouble with Matthew Christian in No. 6 singles. However, Swanson claimed the first set by a score of 7-5 before grabbing a 6-2 win in set two.

What's Up Next
After their first victory since Apr. 30, 2019, Messiah will be back in action on Criste Courts for the first time since the fall of 2019 when they take on the visiting Wilkes University Colonels on Saturday, Mar. 27 at 1:00 p.m.