Doubles Defeats Cost Goucher in Loss to Scranton

TOWSON, Md. — Goucher and Scranton began their Landmark Conference match this afternoon with a trio of tight doubles matches. Unfortunately for the Gophers, all three of those contests went to the Royals, and that would ultimately make the difference in a 6-3 victory for Scranton.

The Royals (3-2, 1-0 Landmark) picked up their first two points with a pair of 8-5 victories at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. Seth Hoesman (Ellicott City, Md./Howard) and David Spivey (Cockeysville, Md./The Park School) then dropped a 9-8 (4) decision to David Teres and Brian Williams at No. 1 doubles to put Goucher (4-9, 0-2) in an early hole.

Midori Fujitani (Tokyo, Japan/International School Bangkok) got the Gophers on the board to start singles play, putting away Williams 6-4, 6-1 at the No. 3 spot. Fujitani has now won four straight singles matches, and six of his last eight overall.

Scranton upped its lead to 4-1 with a 7-5, 6-2 win at No. 2. Goucher, though, cut its deficit to 4-3 with victories at No. 4 and No. 1. Chad Resnik (Miami, Fla./Pinecrest School) grabbed a win at the No. 4 spot after his opponent, Kevin Murphy, was forced to retire due to injury while holding a slim 2-1 lead in the third set. Hoesman then rallied for a 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 triumph over Teres to bring the Gophers within one.

The Royals snuffed out the rally with a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 6, and Ryan Bair edged out Pat Murnin (Salt Lake City, Utah/East) 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (12-10) in a super tiebreaker at No. 5 to conclude the match.

Scranton has now won all six matches in the series since Goucher joined the Landmark in 2007-08. The Gophers, however, earned three victories today after managing a total of one in the previous five meetings.

Goucher now has nearly a week off before returning to conference play next Saturday with a 1 p.m. road matchup at Susquehanna.