Restrepo and de Oliveira Help Lightning Tennis Pull Out Dramatic Win

April 28, 2012

Box Score

BRONXVILLE, N.Y. - It came down to the last duel of the last match on the last day of the regular season, and thanks to two largely novice players, the Lightning men's tennis team ended the 2012 campaign on a high note on Friday evening with a 5-4 victory over host Sarah Lawrence College.

Deadlocked at 4-4, the match's outcome hung on the result of the No. 3 doubles contest pitting Andres Restrepo and Leonardo de Oliveira against Lucas Hammerman and Alberto Sandoval, the fact that Restrepo and de Oliveira had no prior collegiate tennis experience before this season a mere footnote. Summoning their season's worth of training, the pair pulled out a huge 8-6 win to capture the match for the Lightning. The victory was even more satisfying considering each had lost his singles match.

The day began with the Lightning and Gryphons splitting the opening six singles matches. Lehman's top three of Michael Tal, Cesar Andrade and Ben Cirilo came away with wins. Playing No. 1, Tal defeated Philip London 10-5, while Andrade (No. 2) coasted by Nate Currier, 10-3, and Ben Cirilo (No. 3) handled Philip Naess, 10-6. Marcos Coto-Batres lost a tight match in No. 4 play to Aman Banerji, 10-8.

Tal and Andrade proceeded to lose in doubles, 8-6, with Cirilo and Coto-Batres pulling out an 8-5 win to set the stage for the deciding No. 3 match.

The win allows the Lightning to wrap up the season at 5-10 overall.

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