BETHANY, W. Va. - A solid Franciscan University men's tennis team recorded a 7-2 victory over non-conference opponent Bethany College, as the conference postseason tournament looms only weeks away.

No. 3 doubles duo freshman Jack Galla and senior David Freytag continued to exhibit the solid doubles which has characterized their play as of late, en route to a quick 8-0 win. The pair overcame early service inconsistencies and overpowered their Bison counterparts behind quality groundstrokes and points finished at the net.

At No. 2 doubles, junior Connor Jooste and sophomore RJ Watson overcame quality serves from their opponents. Watson helped to put the match away 8-2, with deep service returns late, punctuated by his Jooste's consistent net game. Jooste's strong first serves, by far his most improved stroke from the year before, propelled Franciscan to its fast 2-0 start.

That kind of dominance was more difficult to come by at No. 1 doubles. Juniors Jarek Sulak and John Gallagher found themselves tied 4-4 with their Bethany College counterparts, when both teams had yet to register a break of serve. Things were shortly to change, as a Gallagher backhand winner and two punishing volleys from Sulak's racket gave the Barons the break. After failing to close the match out on Sulak's serve, the Barons dug deep and broke back, before Gallagher served the match out to a score of 9-7.

The Barons singles lineup reflected several changes instituted by head coach Scott Greve. Resting Gallagher and team captain Freytag, Greve started junior Dominic Clements and senior Isaac Mannella, allowing each Baron except Sulak try his hand at a new singles spot.

Sulak found himself down 4-1 at No. 1 singles in a sluggish first set, before he found his first serve consistency. His groundstrokes followed suit, and he took the first set 7-5. His 6-4 second set saw him find an on-court rhythm that often frustrated his opponent, and the victory soon went Franciscan's way.

Meanwhile, Clements took a close first set 6-4 at No. 5 singles, before he dialed up enough forehands to thoroughly crush his opponent's comeback hopes. The junior found his footing and began finishing his points at the net, often behind forehand volley winners, or overheads to both corners. Clements breezed through the second set 6-2, to give the Barons a 4-0 lead.

At No. 2 singles, Watson found that the consistent service returns which typified his doubles match began to elude him; he gave his opponent all he could handle regardless and matched virtually every Bethany winner with one of his own. His 6-4, 6-3 win saw him fall just short in the final game from registering a service break to make the match a closer one.

Bethany's No. 4 singles player had no answer for the groundstroke velocity of freshman singles specialist Walter Matt. Matt ended his opponent's attempts to serve and volley with a series of lobs and passing shots, before he ended the match courtesy of his flat forehand. The freshman's serve was also as consistent as it's been all year, and he registered a 6-4, 6-1 singles win to show for it.

Starting in his second match of the year at No. 6 singles, Mannella took the first set 6-4, pounding more backhands than his opponent could return. The tune of the match shifted in the second, as Mannella's groundstrokes began to lack depth, and the inconsistency allowed his opponent back into the match. It would be decided in the concluding set, when despite resurgent baseline movement, Mannella would lose the third 6-3, and the match.

Playing up two lineup spots, No. 3 singles player Connor Jooste played undoubtedly the match of the afternoon. After losing the first set in a tiebreak, Jooste broke twice in the second, defending his own service games with inside out forehands punctuated with volleys to the forehand corner. The final Baron on the court, Jooste put away the final point of his 6-2 second set with a winner. Taking a lead in the proceeding ten-point tiebreaker after an early deficit, Jooste finally put his 10-7 tiebreaker in the books with an approach shot to his opponent's backhand, followed by a volley winner across his body.

The Barons next take the court Saturday, April 8, when they put their 3-0 conference record on the line against Pitt.-Bradford on the road.