NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. - The Roberts men's tennis team defeated the Niagara University Purple Eagles 5-2 in a key match played at the NU courts on Wednesday. 
 
The Redhawks took a 1-0 lead after sweeping their Division I opponents in the doubles portion of the match.  Freshman Matthew Forrest teamed with Sophomore Tim Nacca to get the day's first win with a 6-0 decision at second doubles.  Junior Dennis Barlotta and senior Andrew Freeman followed with a 6-2 win at second doubles.  Senior Boyd Blackburn and Sophomore Guido Janssen completed the sweep with a 6-4 triumph at first doubles.
 
"This was by far our best doubles performance of the year," said head coach Tom Linhart. "We played aggressively and intelligently at every position against quality talent."
 
Niagara tied the match when Pere Pedro defeated Barlotta 6-3, 6-3 at 5^th singles.  Janssen gave the Redhawks the lead with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Josh Wilson at 1^st singles, but the Purple Eagles again tied the match when Eduardo Villalpando defeated Freeman at 6^th singles.  Blackburn, a senior from Sydney, Australia, put the Redhawks in the lead to stay with a straight sets win at 2^nd singles over Finn Adams.  Nacca then clinched the win for the Redhawks with a 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over the Boris Boleslav at 3^rd singles.  Forrest then put the icing on the cake with a 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(3) win over Damel  Harxhi.
 
"This was truly a team effort today and a big win for us early in the year," Linhart said. "We need to build on this momentum."
 
The win was the 100^th win for Coach Linhart, who is in his eighth season as head coach at Roberts.  The 1-1 Redhawks host regional powerhouse, Southern New Hampshire University in a non-conference match Sunday at noon.