Oceanside, NY - The Pride opened Colonial Athletic Association play with a 4-3 victory over the Fightin' Blue Hens of Delaware Saturday night at PointSet Indoor. Hofstra won the crucial doubles point before splitting the six singles matches.

Delaware's Tony Beneck and Adam Lawton defeated the Pride's Ari Richman and Adrien Bailly, 8-3, at first doubles before Hofstra took the next two flights in very competitive fashion. Beau Wills and Joseph Erichsen won a 9-8 decision over Mike Furr and Evan Andrews at second doubles, and Leo Pires and Matthew Gemmell defeated Zack Niklaus and Tim Puterio, 8-6, at the third flight.

In singles action, Wills posted a 7-6, 7-6 win over Furr at third doubles, while Gemmell picked up a 6-3, 7-5 win over Alex Sweet at the fourth flight. With Delaware picking up straight set wins in the first, second and sixth flights, the match came down to the Erichsen-Niklaus match at fifth singles. After Niklaus took the first set, 6-3, Erichsen roared back and won the next two sets 7-6, 6-4 to give the Pride the match win.

Hofstra improved to 3-1 on the season, 1-0 in the CAA. Delaware is 2-5, 0-1 in CAA play.

DOUBLES


1. 
Troy 
Beneck/Adam 
Lawton
 (UD) 
def. 
Ari
 Richman/Adrien 
Bailly 
(HU), 
8‐3

2. 
Beau 
Wills/Joseph
 Erichsen 
(HU)
 def. 
Mike
 Furr/Evan
 Andrews
 (UD), 
9‐8


3. 
Leo
 Pires/Matthew
 Gemmell
 (HU)
 def. 
Zack
 Niklaus/Tim 
Puterio
 (UD), 
8‐6




SINGLES


1. 
Troy 
Beneck
 (UD)
 def. 
Ari 
Richman
(HU), 
6‐3,
 6‐3

2. 
Adam 
Lawton
 (UD)
 def. 
Adrien 
Bailly 
(HU),
 6‐1, 
6‐2

3. 
Beau
 Wills 
(HU) 
def.
 Mike 
Furr 
(UD),
 7‐6, 
7‐6

4. 
Matthew 
Gemmell
 (HU)
 def. 
Alex
 Sweet
 (UD),
 6‐3,
 7‐5

5. 
Joseph 
Erichsen 
(HU) 
def. 
Zack
 Niklaus 
(UD), 
3‐6, 
7‐6, 
6‐4

6. 
Tim
 Puterio 
(UD)
 def. 
Leo
 Pires 
(HU), 
6‐1,
 6‐2