Oct. 15, 2006

BETHLEHEM, PA - Steve Erickson's win in first singles over Lehigh's previously unbeaten senior Alfredo Fernandez-Concha was the highlight for New Jersey Institute of Technology men's tennis team in the second day of the Lehigh Fall Tennis Invitational.

Erickson was a 6-3, 2-6 (10-8) winner over Fernandez-Concha who won both of his previous singles matches in the tournament.

Lehigh took the other five singles matches against NJIT, with two other spots going to the tiebreaker. At third singles, Lehigh's Drew Balshi rebounded from a 2-6 loss in the first set to beat Tim Weiman of NJIT, 2-6, 6-4 (10-5). In fifth singles, Evan Volkman of Lehigh overcame NJIT's Keith Tracy, 4-6, 6-0 (10-3).

In doubles, which were scheduled and played separately from singles, NJIT lost, 2-1, to a combined team from Lehigh and Hamilton. The Highlanders split two doubles with Hamilton and then lost third doubles to a pair of Lehigh players.

Hamilton's Tom Bacon and Jared Friedberg beat Erickson and Cosmin Chiudjea, 8-5, in first doubles. In second doubles, Weiman and Damian Wentzel were 8-3 winners over Ben Freeman and Tim Pillsbury of Hamilton.

With Hamilton lacking enough healthy players for a third doubles team, Jesse Huth and Mike Gordon of Lehigh stood in and beat NJIT's Tracy and Ramy Lawandy, 8-3. Lawandy had won both doubles matches and a singles match on Saturday.

The two-day tournament included men's teams from host Lehigh, as well as NJIT, Monmouth, Mount Saint Mary's and Hamilton on the men's side. There was also a women's field, but NJIT competed only in the men's field.

For the weekend, NJIT defeated Monmouth in doubles, while losing doubles against Mount Saint Mary's of Maryland and against the Hamilton/Lehigh squad. In singles play, NJIT lost to both Monmouth and Lehigh.

Next on the schedule for the Highlanders is Intercollegiate Tennis Association regional play on Thursday in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania. ITA play is conducted in a tournament format.