NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Junior Alex Sidney clinched the men's tennis team's first Ivy League victory of the season on Saturday, winning his match at No. 4 singles for the decisive point in the Big Red's 4-3 victory over Yale at Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center.
 
Cornell (11-7, 1-3 Ivy), ranked 52nd in the nation by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, took an early 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point. The 49th-ranked pairing of juniors Jason Luu and Quoc-Daniel Nguyen cruised to an 8-1 victory at the No. 1 spot, and freshmen Bernardo Casares Rosa and Colin Sinclair also won their tilt at the No. 3 spot.
 
The teams went on to split the six singles matches, with five of them decided in straight sets. The most decisive victory for either side came at the No. 2 position, where sophomore Stefan Vinti made quick work of his opponent to the tune of a 6-2, 6-2 victory. Freshman Chris Vrabel was also in control from start to finish of his No. 5 match, winning 6-3, 6-2.
 
With the score tied at 3, the balance of the match was to be determined by the outcome of the clash at No. 4. Sidney bounced back from a first-set loss to win, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
 
It's the Big Red's 13th victory over Yale (12-6, 1-2 Ivy) in 72 all-time meetings, though Cornell has now won four of the last six clashes between the two programs.
 
Cornell is back in action at 1 p.m. Sunday at Brown (10-9, 0-3 Ivy).
 
#52 CORNELL 4, YALE 3
Saturday's results; at Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center; New Haven, Conn.
Doubles
1. #49 Jason Luu/Quoc-Daniel Nguyen (C) def. Tyler Lu/Martin Svenning, 8-1
2. Patrick Chase/Kyle Dawson (Y) vs. Sam Fleck/Chris Vrabel, unfinished (6-3)
3. Bernardo Casares Rosa/Colin Sinclair (C) def. Daniel Faierman/Alex Hagermoser, 8-5
Singles
1. Lu (Y) def. Sam Fleck, 6-2, 6-3
2. Stefan Vinti (C) def. Svenning, 6-2, 6-2
3. Faierman (Y) def. Casares Rosa, 6-3, 6-4
4. Alex Sidney (C) def. Dawson, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
5. Vrabel (C) def. Photos Photiades, 6-3, 6-2
6. Zach Krumholz (Y) def. Luu, 6-4, 6-3
Records: Cornell 11-7 (1-3 Ivy); Yale 12-6 (1-2 Ivy)