BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University men's tennis team handed visiting Rhode Island College its first loss of the season as the Bears rolled to an 8-1 victory in a key Little East Conference (LEC) match on Thursday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.
The Bears improve to 8-3 on the season and 3-1 in the Little East, while the Anchormen fall to 8-1 overall and 3-1 in conference play. Bridgewater is now 12-10 versus RIC since 2000 and 6-4 at home. The Anchormen had won each of the last seven matches between the two teams before today's setback.
The match was originally scheduled for Tuesday, April 19th but was halted during doubles play due to rain. The two teams picked up where they left off and the Bears proceeded to sweep the three doubles match and went on to capture five of the six singles flight to earn the win.
In doubles play, seniors Kendan Ziegler (Hadley, N.Y.) and Darius Desnoes (Ithaca, N.Y.) cruised to an 8-1 victory at number three, while the Bears' second flight tandem of graduate student Sean Nutter (Mattapoisett, Mass.) and junior Charles Fiske (Taunton, Mass.) battled back from a 4-3 deficit to post an 8-4 win. Seniors Jeff Pavao (Somerset, Mass.) and Colin Lamusta (Lynnfield, Mass.) trailed 5-4 in their top flight match but came roaring back to complete the doubles sweep with a very close 8-7 (7-0) decision.
Fiske earned a 6-2, 6-3 straight set triumph at number five singles, and Desnoes secured the decisive fifth point for the Bears with a 7-5, 6-2 straight set victory at the sixth flight. Pavao (6-3, 0-6, 10-7), Lamusta (7-5, 6-1) and Nutter (6-2, 5-7, 10-6) also recorded singles wins for the hosts at the first, second and fourth flights, respectively. The matches for Pavao and Nutter were decided in a super tie-breaker.
Freshman Noah Morin (Smithfield, R.I.) notched the Anchormen's lone point of the match with a 6-2, 6-4 straight set decision at number three singles.
The Bears are off until next Wednesday afternoon when they travel to Salem State University for a 3:30 Little East match with the Vikings. The Anchormen entertain conference rival UMass Boston on Saturday at one o'clock.
Notes: Following Tuesday's rain-out, the Bears held Senior Day festivities as Desnoes, Lamusta, Pavao and Ziegler were honored.
