Catholic Box | Charleston Box

HILTON HEAD, S.C. – On its first day of outside competition this spring, the Gettysburg College men's tennis team split a pair of matches on Sunday, March 7. The Bullets beat previously undefeated Catholic University 9-0, but suffered a one-point setback to Division II University of Charleston (W.Va.).

Gettysburg (2-1) had no trouble in its spring opener, winning the top five singles matches in straight-sets. Senior Dale Beshore (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East) turned in the most impressive display at the top singles position, shutting out the 11th-ranked player in the Atlantic South Region, Daniel Valverde, in the opening set (6-0) and leading 4-1 in the second before Valverde was forced to retire.

Freshman Chris Curran (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) controlled the second flight against Michael Schinella and won easily 6-1, 6-4 and sophomore Mike McLaughlin (Hanover, Pa./South Western) took care of business at No. 3 against Jean Paul Roman, winning in straight-sets 6-2, 6-3.

Sophomore Terry Keegan (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield) and senior Kevin Raynes (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy) won handily at flights four (6-1, 6-1) and five (6-4, 6-1), respectively, while junior Will Brinks (Havertown, Pa./Episcopal Academy) bounced back from a second-set loss to win 6-4, 1-6, 10-8.

Beshore and McLaughlin earned a default victory at the top doubles spot, while the teams of Keegan and sophomore Sebastian Rodriguez (Plano, Texas/Plano West) and Raynes and Curran each put up shutouts (8-0) at second and third doubles, respectively.

Playing doubles to open its match against Charleston (5-2), Keegan and Rodriguez put the Bullets in good shape with an 8-2 win at the second flight. Charleston won the other two matches, however, including a 9-8 (7-3) decision by Eric Bodge and Kris Riede over Raynes and Curran at No. 3.

Gettysburg kept the pressure on in singles competition and reeled off wins at the second, third, and fourth flights. Curran defeated Rico Williams 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2 and McLaughlin won 6-4, 6-2 at No. 3. Keegan made a miraculous comeback at No. 4 after dropping the first set 6-2 and trailing in the second 4-1. The Bullet sophomore battled back and eventually pulled out the victory in three sets 2-6, 7-5, 10-8.

Charleston won the remaining three singles matches in straight-sets, though Reid McEwen needed a first-set tiebreaker to get by Raynes at No. 5 7-6 (7-1), 6-4.

Gettysburg continues its spring trip on Tuesday with match against Division II Catawba College at 8 a.m.