Pictured Above: Graduate Lucas Gonzalez (Credit: Dave Saffran)
 
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Staten Island, NY – The Wagner College men's tennis team, playing at home for the first time this season, was edged out by the Hofstra University Pride, 4-3, on Wednesday.
 
The Seahawks fall to 5-6 while the Pride improves to 11-5.
 
Wagner started off the day by claiming the doubles point to take the early 1-0 lead in the overall match. Seniors Dale Sandy and Anatoliy Lashkul bested Coco Haener/Shawn Jackson, 6-2, at No. 1 doubles.
 
Graduate transfer Lucas Gonzalez and senior Eric Poland outlasted Ryan Hardin and Giacomo Pezzoli, 6-4, at No. 2 to clinch the point.
 
The Green & White carried that momentum into singles action, as Gonzalez defeated Leithner, 6-0; 6-1 at No. 3 as Wagner took a 2-0 lead. Haener put the visitors on the board with a 6-1; 6-2 win over Poland at No. 4.
 
Junior Dylan Walters earned a 6-3; 6-1 triumph at No. 1 as the home team went ahead 3-1 in the overall match. The Pride managed to rattle off back-to-back wins at No. 6 and No. 2 that knotted the match at 3-3, heading into No. 5.
 
At No. 5 singles, senior Ilya Kneppelhout was pitted against Julien Wolfe. After dropping the first set, 6-4, Kneppelhout secured a 6-3 win in the second set to setup a third and deciding set. In that deciding set, Wolfe managed to outduel Kneppelhout, 6-4, in clinching the match for Hofstra.
 
Wagner will be back in action on Thursday afternoon as the Seahawks welcomes Quinnipiac to Staten Island. The match is slated to start at 3:00 p.m.