Box Score

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Seniors Joey Manilla and Joona Rahko were playing in their final home regular season match and the pair proved integral in a 7-2 win over Salisbury University (9-3, 3-1) in Capital Athletic Conference action. The Captains improved to 12-7 overall, 4-1 in the CAC, with the Senior Day victory, as Manilla and Rahko combined to go 4-0 on Sunday afternoon.

Adding to the drama of his final home performance, the match-clinching victory came from Manilla. Playing at No. 4 singles, Manilla won the first set, 6-3, over Shane Gunther, but the second set was tied at six to force a tiebreaker. The CNU senior pulled away for a 7-4 win in the break, giving CNU its fifth and clinching point in the match. 

The clincher was set up by strong play across the board. In doubles action, CNU captured wins at No. 2 and No. 3. First, Manilla paired with sophomore Chiraag Shetty for an 8-4 win at No. 2, taking down Matthew McGaffney and Demetri Vrahnos. Then, Rahko teamed with rookie Michael Dodd for an 8-5 win at No. 3. 

Heading into singles action with a 2-1 lead, the Captains would take five of six singles matchups for the 7-2 win. Shetty raced ahead of the pack with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Vrahnos at the No. 3 singles line.

Then, the teams traded wins at the top two spots to make the score 4-2. Rookie Steven Boslet dropped the first set, bounced back for a win in the second, but trailed 5-2 in the third with match point on the line. Trailing 40-love in the would-be match-winning set, the rookie saved five match points to win and give the Captains a 4-2 lead, setting up Manilla's winner. 

Rahko also overcame a first-set loss in the No. 5 match against McGaffney, winning 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. Then, in the No. 6 matchup between sophomore Jake Smith and Shanon Gunther, the CNU second-year player overcame a 4-1 first-set deficit to win 6-4, 7-6 (7-2). 

CNU has just two matches remaining in the regular season, closing out the CAC schedule at St. Mary's (Md.) on Saturday, April 12, and then on to Virginia Wesleyan College on Sunday, April 13.