(Posted April 29, 2006)

BETHLEHEM, Pa. ? The Juniata College men?s tennis team continued its strong 2006 season as four Juniata singles players and a pair of doubles teams have all advanced to the semifinals of the 2006 MASCAC Men?s Individual and Doubles Championships Saturday afternoon.

The conference individual championships consists of six flighted singles tournaments and three flighted doubles tournaments. The Eagles have players in the semifinal rounds in the fourth, fifth and sixth singles flights, along with doubles teams in the semifinals of the second and third flights.

At fourth doubles, Brandon Long (Lebanon/Lebanon) entered the tournament as the third seed, and had a bye into the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinal round he claimed a 6-2, 6-3 over John Stutzman of Lycoming College.

At fifth singles freshman Ryan Navarro (Bishop Guilfoyle/Altoona) was the fourth seed and also had a bye through the opening round. He then earned his semifinal spot with a victory over Lee Gustin of Moravian College by a score of 7-5, 6-3. The win avenged a regular-season loss that Navarro suffered to Gustin.

Juniata?s highest-seeded player in the singles draw is Jonathan Cohen (Highland Regional/Hollywood, Fla.) who entered the draw as the number-two seed, and also had a bye in the bracket. He moved into the semifinals by claiming a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Moravian?s Jeremiah Reinhart.

Not advancing for Juniata on the day were number-one singles player Neil Eicher (Altoona/Altoona) who dropped a 6-1, 6-3 decision, and Jonathan Skoner (Central Catholic/Pittsburgh) who fell by a 6-4, 7-6 score in the second singles flight.

In doubles action, Juniata?s second doubles team of Tom Nelson (State College/State College) and Robert Bowser (Dallastown/York) came in as the third seed and earned a bye into the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals round, the pair posted an 8-6 win over the second doubles team from FDU-Florham to reach the semifinals.

It was the same scenario at third doubles where Cohen and teammate Jack Walfish (Spring-Ford/Royersford) were the fourth seed and did not play an opening round match. In the quarters the pair earned an 8-3 victory over a Lebanon Valley College team to reach the semifinal round.

Juniata?s team of Eicher and Long earned a win in the top doubles flight in the opening round, claiming an 8-6 win over a Moravian doubles team. The duo was then eliminated in the quarterfinals as they dropped an 8-4 decision to the top FDU-Florham doubles team.

Juniata will continue play at the championships on Sunday.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.