HILTON HEAD, S.C. – Sophomore Will Ives (Thetford Center, Vt./Hanover) and freshman Kyle Shope (Ellicott City, Md./Howard) each picked up victories in tiebreakers to help propel the Gettysburg College men's tennis team past Messiah College 5-4 on Wednesday.
 
Gettysburg (1-3) and Messiah (2-4) were as evenly matched as it could get with four of the six singles matches going to super tiebreakers. Shope jumped out with a 6-2 win over Peter Shuck at No. 4, but the Falcon rebounded with a 7-5 win in the second set. The final set of the match was a marathon with the Bullet freshman out-lasting his opponent 16-14 to clinch the victory.
 
Ives dropped his opening contest to Derrek Hoffer 6-2 at the sixth flight, but he bounced back for 7-5 and 10-4 wins. Freshman Dave Musser (Lititz, Pa./Manheim) played to a third set for the third consecutive match, but this time the first-year was unable to pull off the victory, falling to Luke Hostetter 7-5, 1-6, 10-4 at No. 2. Senior Johnny Nelson (Big Prairie, Ohio/West Holmes) also fell in three sets 6-4, 4-6, 10-8 to David Winchert at the fifth spot.
 
Senior Chris Curran (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) had no trouble getting in the win column with three bagels on the day. After teaming with Musser for an 8-0 win at No. 1 doubles, Curran blanked Michael Brookhart 6-0, 6-0 at the top singles flight.
 
Gettysburg took a 2-1 lead into singles play as Nelson and senior James Salierno (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) defeated Wichert and Zachary Brunner 8-6 at No. 3.
 
Gettysburg closes its spring trip against Lake Forest College on Thursday, March 14, at noon.
 
Tennis Match Results
Messiah College vs Gettysburg College
Mar 13, 2013 at Hilton Head, S.C.
 
Gettysburg College 5, Messiah College 4
 
 Singles competition
1. Chris Curran (GC) def. Michael Brookhart (MESSM) 6-0, 6-0
2. Luke Hostetter (MESSM) def. Dave Musser (GC) 7-5, 1-6, 10-4
3. Justin Meckley (MESSM) def. Mike Pratt (GC) 6-1, 6-0
4. Kyle Shope (GC) def. Peter Shuck (MESSM) 6-2, 5-7, 16-14
5. David Wichert (MESSM) def. Johnny Nelson (GC) 6-4, 4-6, 10-8
6. Will Ives (GC) def. Derrek Hoffer (MESSM) 2-6, 7-5, 10-4
 
 Doubles competition
1. Chris Curran/Dave Musser (GC) def. Michael Brookhart/Luke Hostetter (MESSM) 8-0
2. Justin Meckley/Peter Shuck (MESSM) def. Mike Pratt/Kyle Shope (GC) 8-6
3. Johnny Nelson/James Salierno (GC) def. David Wichert/Zachary Brunner (MESSM) 8-6
 
Match Notes:
Messiah College 2-4
Gettysburg College 1-3