FIGHTING TIGER TENNIS ACES OUT HOLYOKE 6-3 IN SEASON OPENER

Forced to move inside and into a pro-set format due to inclement weather conditions; the SUNY Cobleskill men’s tennis team found themselves trailing perennial NJCAA Region XXI power Holyoke Community College 2-0, after the completion of the first and second singles matches on Monday afternoon at the Cobleskill Tennis Complex.

With the match hanging in the balance all eyes turned to court number three where Fighting Tiger senior co-captain Greg Klopfer, Voorheesville, NY, Voorheesville High School, was locked in a battle at the number three singles position. It was at that point of the set that Klopfer found his inner “Andy Roddick” and posted the team’s first win of the afternoon by a 10-5 margin. Almost immediately the match’s momentum shifted as freshman Zak Kraehmer, Wallkill, NY, Wallkill High School, stormed to a victory at number four singles by a 10-3 margin, senior Andy Crane, Exeter, ME, Dexter Regional High School, captured a hard fought decision at the number five singles by a score of 10-8 and freshman Brian Huber, Floral Park, NY, Bayside High School, dominated the action at the number six singles by a 10-2 margin.

The Fighting Tigers then put the match in the victory column in the doubles portion of the competition where Greg Klopfer and Zak Kraehmer took the number two doubles by score of 10-7 and Andy Crane and Brian Huber teamed to win handily at the number three doubles by a 10-1 tally to give Cobleskill a 6-3 victory over the visiting Cougars and a 1-0 record on the year.

“I’m extremely pleased with this win and the way that we handled ourselves today,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Scott Hill. “The extra work that we have put into our doubles this year was evident today and I thought that Greg Klopfer and Zak Kraehmer played tennis exactly the way it should be played by the way they set their opponents up and put them away. This is a great way to open the season and hopefully a sign of things to come.”

The Fighting Tigers will next be in action on Tuesday April 1st when they travel to Delhi, NY, to meet the Broncos of SUNY Delhi with first serve scheduled for 4:00 PM.