
Photo by: Jack Mackenzie
Lehigh Narrowly Defeated By Abilene Christian 4-3
3/11/2025 5:05:00 PM | Men's Tennis
ABILENE, Texas – Lehigh men's tennis continued its spring break trip in Texas on Tuesday morning with a dual meet against the Abilene Christian University Wildcats. The Mountain Hawks dropped a closely-contested 4-3 decision.
Abilene Christian (10-6) took the opening doubles point over Lehigh (5-5), beginning with a 6-3 win at number one for Merse Deli and Benjamin McDonald over Marc Blekhman and Sean Jaeger. Luke Donovan and Jose Murariu dropped a 6-4 decision at number two to Ethan Scribner and Alejandro Verdasco to seal the point for the Wildcats. Nate Raney and Jackson Morash's doubles match at number three was left unfinished with a 5-5 score.
The Wildcats also struck first in singles play, earning two-set wins over Wyeth Anzilotti and Raney at numbers five and six. Now one point away from the clinch, ACU's Martin Delnido defeated Morash 6-3, 6-3 at number three to secure the dual meet victory win for the Wildcats.
Despite the clinch, the Mountain Hawks continued to fight at numbers one, two and four singles. After winning his first set, Blekhman defeated Verdasco 7-3 in a second set tiebreak to put the Mountain Hawks on the board. Murariu also claimed victory shortly after with a 10-6 tiebreak win in the third set at number one. Finally, Ofer Hacohen defeated McDonald in three sets at number four to set the final score at 4-3.
The Mountain Hawks conclude their Texas trip on Wednesday, March 12 at 5 p.m. against the SMU Mustangs.
Singles
Jose Murariu (Lehigh) def. Dennis Dutine (ACU) 7-5, 1-6, 1-0 (10-6)
Marc Blekhman (Lehigh) def. Alejandro Verdasco (ACU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
Martin Delnido (ACU) def. Jackson Morash (Lehigh) 6-3, 6-3
Ofer Hacohen (Lehigh) def. Benjamin McDonald (ACU) 6-4, 1-6, 1-0 (10-7)
Matheus Lima (ACU) def. Wyeth Anzilotti (Lehigh) 6-1, 6-0
Ethan Scribner (ACU) def. Nate Raney (Lehigh) 6-0, 6-3
Order of finish: 5, 6, 3, 2, 1, 4
Doubles
Deli/McDonald (ACU) def. Jaeger/Blekhman (Lehigh) 6-3
Scribner/Verdasco (ACU) def. Donovan/Murariu (Lehigh) 6-4
Morash/Raney (Lehigh) vs. Lima/Delnido (ACU) 5-5 DNF
Order of finish: 1, 2
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Abilene Christian (10-6) took the opening doubles point over Lehigh (5-5), beginning with a 6-3 win at number one for Merse Deli and Benjamin McDonald over Marc Blekhman and Sean Jaeger. Luke Donovan and Jose Murariu dropped a 6-4 decision at number two to Ethan Scribner and Alejandro Verdasco to seal the point for the Wildcats. Nate Raney and Jackson Morash's doubles match at number three was left unfinished with a 5-5 score.
The Wildcats also struck first in singles play, earning two-set wins over Wyeth Anzilotti and Raney at numbers five and six. Now one point away from the clinch, ACU's Martin Delnido defeated Morash 6-3, 6-3 at number three to secure the dual meet victory win for the Wildcats.
Despite the clinch, the Mountain Hawks continued to fight at numbers one, two and four singles. After winning his first set, Blekhman defeated Verdasco 7-3 in a second set tiebreak to put the Mountain Hawks on the board. Murariu also claimed victory shortly after with a 10-6 tiebreak win in the third set at number one. Finally, Ofer Hacohen defeated McDonald in three sets at number four to set the final score at 4-3.
The Mountain Hawks conclude their Texas trip on Wednesday, March 12 at 5 p.m. against the SMU Mustangs.
Singles
Jose Murariu (Lehigh) def. Dennis Dutine (ACU) 7-5, 1-6, 1-0 (10-6)
Marc Blekhman (Lehigh) def. Alejandro Verdasco (ACU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
Martin Delnido (ACU) def. Jackson Morash (Lehigh) 6-3, 6-3
Ofer Hacohen (Lehigh) def. Benjamin McDonald (ACU) 6-4, 1-6, 1-0 (10-7)
Matheus Lima (ACU) def. Wyeth Anzilotti (Lehigh) 6-1, 6-0
Ethan Scribner (ACU) def. Nate Raney (Lehigh) 6-0, 6-3
Order of finish: 5, 6, 3, 2, 1, 4
Doubles
Deli/McDonald (ACU) def. Jaeger/Blekhman (Lehigh) 6-3
Scribner/Verdasco (ACU) def. Donovan/Murariu (Lehigh) 6-4
Morash/Raney (Lehigh) vs. Lima/Delnido (ACU) 5-5 DNF
Order of finish: 1, 2
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Players Mentioned
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