Though both the men’s and women’s tennis teams stumbled to disappointing starts, each team looked impressive this weekend against the Drexel Dragons, but only the men were able to pick up their first win of the 2009 season.

After suffering two disheartening losses to St. John’s (7-0) and Fairfield (6-1), the men’s team knocked off Drexel 4-2 to improve to 1-2 on the year. Senior captain Martin MacIntyre, who was the Patriot League Men’s Tennis Player of the Month for January, continued his dominant play with wins in No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles, defeating Drexel’s Joe Koebele 6-2, 3-6 and 6-4 in singles action. MacIntyre later teamed up with junior John Nogueras to beat Drexel’s Joe Koebele and Carlo Pangilinan by a score of 8-6.

The men also enjoyed success in third doubles as junior Michael Yassky and sophomore Jaime Pellechi scrapped their way to a 9-8 victory. The excellent doubles play was complemented by singles wins by Yassky and sophomore Ruslan Goussiantnikov.

“Our home opening win on Sunday is a great step in the right direction and we are starting to improve every week,” Marty MacIntyre said.

This upcoming weekend the men will face Boston University and Boston College on their quest for Division I tennis glory.

The women’s team, predicted to finish third in the Patriot League, is wondering what has gone wrong during a 0-3 start that has featured losses to Syracuse, Fairfield and now Drexel. Senior Erin Fenn defeated Drexel’s Anahita Jagtiani, 6-3, 7-5 at No. 3 singles and Cameron Williams won her match against Drexel’s Elise Leizerovich 6-4, 7-6 (6) at No. 4 singles. Senior Cameron Thaney gave the Raiders three singles winners as she romped past Emily Lewis 6-3, 6-1.

While the Raiders enjoyed a .500 winning percentage from the singles category, they struggled in doubles action. The No. 2 doubles tandem of Fenn and Thaney won their match, but it was the lone win in doubles play, and the Raiders eventually lost to Drexel, 4-3. Captain Elise DeRose is not ready to throw the towel in just yet as she believes the women’s efforts will come to fruition this weekend as they take Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston.

“Our matches have been tough so far, but everyone has played close, competitive matches,” DeRose said. “We’re really working hard in practice and everyone is looking forward to weekend’s matches in Boston.”