IMMACULATA, Pa. – With the match all-square at 4-4,
Karl Finkbeiner needed to complete his comeback at second singles to secure a win for Eastern University Men's Tennis at Immaculata. The sophomore battled to a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 win to lift the Eagles (4-5) to a 5-4 win.
"That was a great pressure moment for Karl," Head Coach
Mark Spangler said after the match. "When Blizz (
James Blizzard) lost in his breaker, there was no one else on the courts, it was up to Karl. He did a real nice job handling the pressure."
Finkbeiner put together a strong service game at 4-4 to grab control of the final set. Spangler noted that two of the points came on service winners and a third came on a simple point after a defensive return.
Another solid doubles day set up Finkbeiner's heroics. The Eagles won 8-1 at first doubles and
Connor Mooney and
Matt Cradduck ground out a 9-8 win at second. The pair claimed the match with a 7-5 win in the tiebreaker.
Mooney and Cradduck each won in straight sets in their singles match, but with losses at 1st, fifth, and sixth singles, the Eagles needed Finkbeiner's three-set win.
Eastern is slated to travel to Messiah College for a non-league match tomorrow before hosting MAC Freedom juggernaut Wilkes on Saturday.