There is a particular kind of tension that accompanies Senior Day in collegiate athletics—a mixture of celebration and the looming realization that these final home appearances are the closing chapters of a long journey. For the Saint Joseph’s men’s tennis team, Saturday provided a fitting tribute to its veterans, as the Hawks overcame an early deficit to secure a 4-2 victory over George Mason at the SJU Tennis Complex in Merion Station, Pa.
The win was more than just a successful home send-off; it solidified a commanding trend for the Hawks within the Atlantic 10 conference. With this result, Saint Joseph’s has now won four of its first four matchups against A-10 opponents this season, establishing themselves as a resilient force in the conference standings.
While the final score suggests a comfortable margin, the path to victory required a significant mental pivot. The Hawks entered the singles portion of the afternoon trailing after George Mason claimed the doubles point, having secured wins in the second and third flights. Despite a 6-4 victory in the first flight by Damir Abdusamadov and Santiago Valle, the Patriots’ early momentum placed the Hawks in a position where they had to fight for every remaining point.
A Resilient Response in Singles
The momentum shifted decisively during the singles matches, where the Hawks displayed the composure head coach Jeff Puhan has cultivated. The turnaround began at the top of the lineup, where Santiago Valle dominated his first-flight opponent, delivering a clinical 6-3, 6-1 performance to put the Hawks back in the contest.
Though, the emotional core of the match may have been the battle in the second flight. Ernesto Ruy found himself trailing after losing a tight first set in a tiebreaker (7-6). In a display of grit that defined the afternoon, Ruy completely flipped the script, winning the second set 6-0 before closing out the match 6-4. That victory leveled the overall score and shifted the psychological advantage back to the home side.
The Hawks continued to build their lead through the middle of the order. Othman Bezzaz provided a steady hand in the fourth flight, securing a straight-sets win (6-3, 6-3) to put Saint Joseph’s ahead for the first time in the match. While George Mason managed to claim the third singles flight—with Ekansh Kumar defeating Abdusamadov 7-5, 6-3—the Hawks had already established too much ground to be overtaken.
Closing the Door on Senior Day
The victory was officially sealed in the sixth flight, where Jakob Gaudreau Barnes mirrored Ernesto Ruy’s path to victory. After dropping the first set 1-6, Gaudreau Barnes rallied with intensity, winning the next two sets 6-1, 6-1. His comeback ensured the Hawks would leave the courts with a 4-2 win, regardless of the outcome in the fifth flight.
In the fifth flight, Edgar Vilain of George Mason held a lead over Sehaj Singh Pawar, leading 7-5, 1-2 when the match was called as unfinished, the overall result already decided.
“We knew today’s match was going to be tough,” head coach Jeff Puhan said. “Credit our guys for the way they responded after the doubles point. We will begin to prepare for our final A-10 matches in two weeks.”
The ability to recover from a doubles loss is often a barometer for a team’s maturity. For Saint Joseph’s, the win underscores a level of depth and emotional stability that will be critical as they navigate the final stretch of the SJU men’s tennis schedule.
Match Breakdown: Saint Joseph’s vs. George Mason
| Flight | SJU Player(s) | GMU Player(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singles 1 | Santiago Valle | Deniz Okyay | SJU (6-3, 6-1) |
| Singles 2 | Ernesto Ruy | Monil Lotlikar | SJU (6-7, 6-0, 6-4) |
| Singles 4 | Othman Bezzaz | Niza Simunyola | SJU (6-3, 6-3) |
| Singles 6 | Gaudreau Barnes | Shari Saeed | SJU (1-6, 6-1, 6-1) |
Looking Ahead to Richmond
The Hawks now enter a brief hiatus from conference play before heading south for a critical road trip. The team is scheduled to travel to Richmond, Virginia, where they will face Duquesne and VCU on April 17 and 18. These matchups will serve as the final hurdles in their Atlantic 10 campaign, providing a final opportunity to refine their game before the postseason.
As the team prepares for the Virginia swing, the focus remains on maintaining the momentum from their perfect 4-0 start against conference foes and ensuring the resilience shown on Senior Day carries over into the final stretch of the season.
Do you think the Hawks can maintain their A-10 streak in Virginia? Share your thoughts in the comments below or join the conversation on social media.
