BROOKLYN –Pratt opened their 2016 schedule with a 7-2 setback to the Farleigh Dickinson University-Florham Devils in non-conference action Friday evening at the Activities Resource Center (ARC).
After taking a 2-1 edge after doubles play was completed, FDU-Florham (5-6) tdowned Pratt (0-3) in five of six singles' flights to take the victory.
Paul Thirouin (Houston, TX/George Washington University Online High School) teamed with Nick Minichiello (Leonia, NJ/Leonia) to down FDU's Max Moscowitz and Rich Bennett, 8-3, in first doubles, to give the Cannoneers an early edge.
Looking to extend their 1-0 lead, Hubert Chen (Vancouver, BC/Heritage Woods Secondary) teamed with Andy Barkett (Mansfield, OH/Lexington) in second doubles, but suffered a heartbreaking 9-8 setback, falling 7-2 in the tiebreaker
FDU would take the remaining doubles flight.
Thirouin's straight set victory (6-4, 6-4) over Moscowitz would tie the match at 2, but FDU would then win five consecutive singles' flights to win the match.
"Nick and Paul played incredible with huge first serves and solid returns," said head coach Karen Jernigan. "Hubert rallied to fight in the second set. The score doesn't [reflect] how hard he fought with his forehand drives."
Haotian Zhang (Chengdu, China/Chengdu No. 7) dropped a thrilling three-set sixth singles flight to FDU's Bobby Davison, 6-4, 4-6, 13-11, to close out the match.
Doubles
1. Thirouin/Minichiello (Pratt) def. Moscowitz/Bennett (FDU), 8-3
2. Serras/Dubinsky (FDU) def. Chen/Barkett (Pratt), 9-8 (7-2)
3. Ly/Ford (FDU) def. Pahuja/Zhang (Pratt), 8-0
Singles
1. Thirouin (Pratt) def. Moscowitz (FDU), 6-4, 6-4
2. Dubinsky (FDU) def. Andrew Barkett (Pratt), 6-2, 6-3
3. Bennett (FDU) def. Nick Minichiello (Pratt), 6-0, 6-1
4. Ly (FDU) def. Raghav Pahuja (Pratt), 6-0, 6-1
5. Serras (FDU) def. Hubert Chen (Pratt), 6-2, 6-3
6. Davison (FDU) def. Zhang (Pratt), 6-4, 4-6, 13-11
Up Next: The Cannoneers will host Rutgers University-Newark in the second game of Pratt's five-match homestand. The match begins at noon at the ARC.
