HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison wasn't able to take care of chances in a 5-2 men's tennis setback to Richmond on Saturday afternoon at Hillside Courts.
Richmond (4-5) won the doubles point and claimed singles victories on courts one, four, five and six to earn its third straight win over JMU (3-4) and its first in Harrisonburg since 2016.
The Dukes captured singles wins on courts two and three from
Francisco Sinopoli and
Esteve Agusti, both of whom won in straight sets.
The Spiders took the early 1-0 lead off doubles triumphs on courts one and three, by scores of 6-1 and 6-3, respectively. JMU's bout on court two also went unfinished at 5-5.
In singles play, JMU quickly evened the score, at 1-1, as Agusti conceded just one early game in each set en route to a 6-1, 6-1 victory against Dylan Atkinson on court three. The match finished in under an hour.
Richmond reclaimed the lead (2-1) over on court six, where Sam Rathmanner pulled away from
Dennis Wiebe in a 6-4, 6-1 triumph. The lead stretched to 3-1 on court four, as
Zach Fleishman dropped a tough 6-4, 6-3 decision to Otto Sewell.
The Spiders clinched the match on court five, as Cole Brashear had a strong opening set and rallied in the second to pass by
Edson Sanchez, 6-1, 6-4. Sanchez trailed early in the second before taking a 4-3 lead. Brashear closed the decisive match with three straight game winners.
Sinopoli scored JMU's second point on court two, as he had an excellent opening set and won a back-and-forth second to upend Paxton Pritchard by scores of 6-3, 7-5.
In the final bout on court one, Davis Wiley won a pair of tiebreakers to defeat
Aurelien Schmitt, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (3). In the opening set, Wiley overcame three set points and also broke JMU's serve while down 5-4 in the second.
JMU is back in action on Friday, March 7 at 10 a.m. against William & Mary. The match, contested at Hillside Courts, will be the first match in a doubleheader with the JMU women's tennis team, which opens its home slate that afternoon.
Richmond 5, JMU 2
Doubles Results
Court 1: Cole Brashear/Davis Wiley (UR) def.
Esteve Agusti/
Aurelien Schmitt (JMU), 6-1
Court 2:
Edson Sanchez/
Francisco Sinopoli (JMU) vs. Paxton Pritchard/Sam Rathmanner (UR), 5-5 unfinished
Court 3: Dylan Atkinson/Otto Sewell def.
Markus Giersiepen/
Harrison Lee (JMU), 6-3
Singles Results
Court 1: Davis Wiley (UR) def.
Aurelien Schmitt (JMU), 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-3)
Court 2:
Francisco Sinopoli (JMU) def. Paxton Pritchard (UR), 6-3, 7-5
Court 3:
Esteve Agusti (JMU) def. Dylan Atkinson (UR), 6-1, 6-1
Court 4: Otto Sewell (UR) def.
Zach Fleishman (JMU), 6-4, 6-3
Court 5: Cole Brashear (UR) def.
Edson Sanchez (JMU), 6-1, 6-4
Court 6: Sam Rathmanner (UR) def.
Dennis Wiebe (JMU), 6-4, 6-1
Order of Results: Doubles (1, 3*), Singles (3, 6, 4, 5*, 2, 1)