WASHINGTON, Pa. (Sept. 29) – The Waynesburg University men's tennis team wrapped up the fall portion of its schedule at Saturday's Washington & Jefferson Fall Invitational. The Yellow Jackets opened up with an 8-1 win over Pitt Greensburg, before dropping a 6-3 decision against the host Presidents.
 
The Yellow Jackets (3-1) swept their three doubles matches with the Bobcats to get the day off to a fast start. The senior pair of Jonah Cooper and Josh Denham won 8-2 at first doubles before freshman Joe English and Connor Cassidy recorded an 8-5 triumph at the number-two spot. Senior Brian Drake and junior Tanner McKnight rolled to an 8-1 victory at the third flight.
 
UPG picked up its only victory of the match at first singles, before Waynesburg won all five of the final singles flights in straight sets. Denham, English, Cassidy and Drake all completed 2-0 efforts in the early contest. Sophomore Brett Thumm put the finishing touches on the victory by pulling out a 6-4, 7-5 win at sixth singles.
 
Unfortunately, things didn't go as smoothly in the late contest, as W&J (3-0) started off its win by taking two-of-three doubles matches. Drake and McKnight managed their second doubles win of the day with an 8-2 final score at the third spot.
 
Though the final score won't show it, Waynesburg was in position to pull the upset against the host squad, but came out on the wrong end of a three-set battle at the number-three spot, as well as a hard-fought match at first singles. English won his first set at the third flight, but wound up losing a heart-breaking 5-7, 7-5, 12-10 contest. Things were even tighter for Cooper, who came up painfully short in a 7-6, 7-5 nail-biter.
 
Cassidy bounced back from dropping a 6-1 final in set one at fourth singles to take set two 6-1. The Waynesburg rookie closed out the victory 10-7 in set three. Thumm was impressive at the number-six flight by rolling 6-0, 6-2.
 
The Waynesburg men are off until February 16, when they return to the courts with a road trip to Penn State Behrend.