Ali's 2nd Singles Win Lifts Tufts Men's Tennis at Bates, 5-4

Kevin Kelly scored a #6 singles win for Tufts

Recap courtesy of Bates College
LEWISTON, ME - The #13 nationally ranked Tufts men's tennis team came back from a 4-3 deficit to win the final two singles matches and defeat the #24 Bates College men's tennis team 5-4 on Friday at the Wallach Tennis Center.

Bates (6-8, 2-4 NESCAC) took a 2-1 lead in doubles play. At #1, Chris Ellis and Ben Rosen defeated Nick Cary and Rob Jacobson 8-4, while at #2 Fergus Scott and Pat Ordway defeated Jay Glickman and Griffin Brockman by the same score.

Tufts (12-5, 5-3 NESCAC) averted a doubles sweep with an 8-6 win at third doubles, where Zain Ali and Danny Coran defeated Josh Leiner and Josh Quijano.

Rosen scored the first singles point for Bates with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Glickman at #1. The Jumbos countered with Kevin Kelly's 6-3, 6-4 win over Brent Feldman at #6.

The remaining four matches were settled in third sets. Scott defeated Jacobson 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 at #3, but Tufts kept pace with Cary's 2-6, 6-0, 6-2 win over Quijano at #4.

Tufts tied the match for the first time at 4-4 when Coran edged Ordway in a pro set tiebreaker, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6). All eyes turned to #2, where Ali came back to defeat Ellis 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.

The Jumbos are off until next Friday when they play at MIT. Bates will host #9 Williams on Sunday at 2 pm.