VILLANOVA, PA -- Down 4-1 in the third set of his fifth-singles match, sophomore Camilo Perez (right) staged a furious rally to defeat Villanova’s Dimitri Chimerakis, 0-6, 6-2, 7-5, and give the Delaware men’s tennis team a 4-3
victory over the Wildcats.

Playing in the last match on the court, Perez was broken early in the third set, but won six of the final seven games to secure the Blue Hens’ fourth consecutive victory over Villanova.

The Blue Hens started strong at first singles, as sophomore Austin Longacre scored a 6-4, 6-1 win over ‘Nova’s David Shaheen. Junior Nolan Greenberg maintained UD’s momentum at No. 2 with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Sean Daly, but the Wildcats surged ahead with wins at third, fourth, and sixth singles.

Longacre and Greenberg teamed up to edge Daly and Trenton Alenik, 8-6, at first doubles, while senior Jon Schwartz and sophomore Andrew Blumberg followed suit with an 8-6 win at second doubles to clinch a point for UD.

With the match all square at 3-3, Perez had to deliver in the clutch in front of 100-plus vocal Villanova alums on hand for homecoming. He did just that, and after more than four hours of tennis, the Hens improved to 1-0 on the year.

AGATE:

Delaware 4, Villanova 3

Singles - No. 1: Austin Longacre, UD, d. David Shaheen, V, 6-4, 6-1. No. 2: Nolan Greenberg, UD, d. Sean Daly, V, 6-2, 6-1. No. 3: Trenton Alenik, V, d. Sam Barrer, UD, 7-6 (4), 6-4. No. 4: Brett Tobin, V, d. Chris Hincker, UD, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. No. 5: Camilo Perez, UD, d. Dimitri Chimerakis, V, 0-6, 6-2, 7-5. No. 6: Brian Maher, V, d. Jon Schwartz, UD, 7-6 (1), 6-1.

Doubles - No. 1: Longacre/Greenberg, UD, d. Daly/Alenik, V, 8-6. No. 2: Schwartz/Andrew Blumberg, UD, d. Chimerakis/John Drosick, V, 8-6. No. 3:
Shaheen/Alex Leeser, V, d. Barrer/Perez, UD, 9-8 (5).