April 21, 2006
Final Stats
Flushing Meadows, NY-- The fifth-seeded Siena men's tennis team was ousted in the first round of the MAAC Tournament by fourth-seeded Niagara University 6-1 Friday morning at the at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY.
Siena (7-8, 3-5 MAAC), Mike Aliotta and Jose Loren took the number two doubles match 7-5, while teammates Christopher Auffredo / Nino Alivodic and Jeremy Deuel / Nicholas Rutherford fell at the number one and three spot.
In singles play, Niagara took five of the six singles matches to secure the win. The Purple Eagles started quickly, winning the first set on five of the six courts.
Siena looked to be rebounding in most of their second sets as Aliotta was able to defeat Justin McConkey 7-6 (7-4), 1-6, 6-1 at the number four spot to give the Saints their lone point of the contest. From then on it was all Purple Eagles. Niagara reeled off two straight wins and took the match.
Deuel was the first to fall, suffering a 6-0, 6-3 loss at the hands of Walter Garcia; following on court two, Rutherford lost to Alex Abji in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.
Freshman Auffredo dropped a hard fought match with the Purple Eagles Mark Dickinson 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 17-15 in back-to-back tiebreakers.
At the No. 5 spot Loren battled back after losing his first set to Dawson Peare 6-4 and took the second 6-1, but fell in the third set 6-1, and lost the match. Alivodic lost in two straight sets.
The Saints will play St. Peter's College in a consolation game tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.
Singles competition
1. Walter Garcia (NIA) def. Jeremy Deuel (SIE) 6-0, 6-3
2. Alex Abji (NIA) def. Nicholas Rutherford (SIE) 6-2, 6-2
3. Mark Dickinson (NIA) def. Christopher Auffredo (SIE) 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 17-15
4. Mike Aliotta (SIE) def. Justin McConkey (NIA) 7-6 (7-4), 1-6, 6-1
5. Dawson Peare (NIA) def. Jose Loren (SIE) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
6. Dave Rueter (NIA) def. Nino Alivodic (SIE) 6-0, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Justin McConkey/Dawson Peare (NIA) def. Jeremy Deuel/Nicholas
Rutherford (SIE) 8-2
2. Mike Aliotta/Jose Loren (SIE) def. Walter Garcia/Alex Abji (NIA) 9-8 (7-5)
3. Mark Dickinson/Steve Kopf (NIA) def. Christopher Auffredo/Nino Alivodic (SIE) 8-6
