BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Bridgewater State University advanced to the semifinal round of the 2022 Little East Conference (LEC) Men's Tennis Tournament as the third-seeded Bears coasted to a 5-0 quarterfinal round victory over #6 University of Southern Maine on Tuesday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.

The Bears (10-4) will travel to second-seeded Salem State University on Thursday afternoon to take on the Vikings at 3:30. The Huskies end the season with an overall record of 2-9. Bridgewater is now 10-8 all-time (8-0 at home) versus Southern Maine since the Bears joined the Little East in 2005.

The Bears swept the three doubles matches to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Seniors Jeff Pavao (Somerset, Mass.) and Colin Lamusta (Lynnfield, Mass.) paired up for an 8-1 win at the top spot, while senior Sean Nutter (Mattapoisett, Mass.) and junior Charles Fiske (Taunton, Mass.) paired up for an 8-2 triumph at the third flight. Seniors Kendan Ziegler (Hadley, N.Y.) and Darius Desnoes (Ithaca, N.Y.) rounded out doubles play with an 8-2 decision at number three.

Junior Robert Dwyer (Yarmouth Port, Mass.) brought Bridgewater to match point with a 6-0, 6-0 straight set victory at number six singles. Moments later, Ziegler notched the decisive fifth point and sent the Bears to the semifinals with a 6-0, 6-0 straight set win at the third flight.

The remainder of the six matches were left unfinished with Pavao, Lamusta, Nutter and Desnoes each up a set at the first, second, fourth and fifth flights, respectively.

Ziegler (9-4) notched his team-leading ninth singles win of the season, while the doubles pairing of Ziegler and Desnoes remains unbeaten on the season at 5-0.