Release courtesy of Sarah Lawrence College Athletics
BRONXVILLE, N.Y.—Though the Gryphons successfully erased a three-point deficit, Sarah Lawrence College men's tennis was surpassed by Culinary Institute, 6-3, in a Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match at Andrews Courts on Sunday.
Culinary (1-2, 1-0 HVIAC) started off the day with a sweep of the doubles matches, taking a 3-0 lead in the team scoring.
Sarah Lawrence (1-4, 1-1 HVIAC) struck back and leveled the score by winning each of the top three singles matches. In the No. 1 spot, senior Gryphon Nate Currier (San Rafael, Calif./The Branson School) picked up his second straight individual win. After trailing early in his match, he rallied to take eight of the last 10 games in a 10-5 triumph.
At No. 2 singles, Elliott Warkus (Waimea, Hawai'i/Parker School) won his fifth match of the week. His Culinary opponent won the first two games, but Warkus responded by winning the next eight games for an 8-2 lead. After losing the next three games, the junior Gryphon won back-to-back games to clinch a 10-5 victory.
The No. 3 match saw junior Adam Neufeld (Bronx, N.Y./The Calhoun School) win his first five games and stay in front from start to finish. He won four of the last five games as he cruised to 10-4 win, his second straight singles victory.
With the team score tied 3-3 with three matches to play, the Steels stepped up the pressure and gained momentum on the courts. Culinary made quick work of the No. 5 match, 10-1, and clinched the team victory with a 10-2 win in the No. 4 match. In the last match of the day, Culinary won the No. 6 match, 10-7, solidifying the 6-3 overall win.
Sarah Lawrence hosts HVIAC foe Pratt Institute on Friday at 7 p.m. The Gryphons then host non-conference opponent Purchase College on Saturday at 2 p.m. SLC rounds out the weekend with a road trip to Bard College on Sunday.
