WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Suffolk men's tennis found its way into the win column as it defeated Saint Joseph (Conn.) in a back-and-forth Conference of New England (CN)E battle Saturday afternoon at the Elizabeth Ferry Speer Tennis Complex. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4 | St. Joseph (Conn.) 3
RECRODS: Suffolk (1-1, 1-1 CNE) | St. Joseph (Conn.) (1-2, 0-2 CNE)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• USJ was unable to field a doubles third team and the host's second tandem managed to come out victorious to make the doubles point come down to the top teams. Luckily for Suffolk, Christian Gardner and Abhi Patel handled Ryan Boucher and Ryle Childress, 6-1, to send the Rams into singles play up 1-0.
• In singles, Suffolk started with a point due to a forfeit in the sixth singles spot. 
• The Bluejays came back to level the playing field as they locked up decisions on courts four and five, in that order. 
• Patel defeated Childress, 6-2, 6-1, in the second slot to turn on match point, but USJ had other things in mind as Ada Jara bested Ishmam Amin, 6-4, 6-0, at No. 3. 
• Like doubles, the match would be decided on the top singles court where Gardner faced Boucher. Suffolk's sophomore went on for the win, 6-3, 6-3, to secure the 4-3 match victory for the blue-and-gold.  

RESULTS
DOUBLES
1 – Christian Gardner/Abhi Patel (Suffolk) defeated Ryan Boucher/Rylee Childress (USJ), 6-1
2 – Adam Jara/Nick Porsterman (USJ) defeated Jason Yany/Ishmam Amin (Suffolk), 6-2
3 – Franco Amadio/Anders Ovren (Suffolk) won by default

SINGLES
1 – Christian Gardner (Suffolk) defeated Ryan Boucher (USJ), 6-3, 6-3
2 – Abhi Patel (Suffolk) defeated Rylee Childress (USJ), 6-2, 6-1
3 – Adam Jara (USJ) defeated Ishmam Amin (Suffolk), 6-4, 6-0
4 – Nick Prosterman (USJ) defeated Jason Yany (Suffolk), 6-1, 6-0
5 – Patrick Dowling-Logue (USJ) defeated Franco Amadio (Suffolk), 6-0, 6-2
6 – Anders Ovren (Suffolk), won by default 

ORDER OF FINISH: Doubles (3, 2, 1) | Singles (6, 4, 5, 2, 3, 1) 

NOTEWORTHY

• The Rams defeated USJ for the first time in program history. 
• Suffolk is now 1-2 against St. Joseph (Conn.). 
• The blue-and-gold moved to 1-1 on the road against the Bluejays. 
• Gardner played as Suffolk's ace for the first time in his collegiate career.  

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk takes its talents to Springfield, Massachusetts Monday, March 23 to face Western New England in a rescheduled match.