SALEM, Mass. – Salem State University advanced to the championship match of the 2023 Little East Conference Men's Tennis Tournament as the top-seeded Vikings edged #4 Bridgewater State University, 5-2, on Thursday afternoon at the Central Campus Courts. 

The Vikings (10-2) will face second-seeded Rhode Island College in the conference title match on Saturday afternoon at one o'clock. RIC knocked of #3 Western Connecticut State University in the other semifinal match earlier today. Bridgewatare State ends the season with an overall record of 5-9.

Salem took two-of-three doubles matches, with senior Cory Cherico (Winthrop, Mass.) and grad student Roni Bazile (Brockton, Mass.) securing the first point at No. 2 doubles with an 8-2 victory. The Bears earned a point at No. 3 doubles as freshman Adam Beatrice (Rockland, Mass.) and sophomore Charles Malinowski (East Bridgewater, Mass.) teamed up for an 8-4 triumph. Grad student Andrew Muttiah (Colombo, Sri Lanka) and freshman Quentin Wilkins (Hamilton, Mass.) gave the Vikings a 2-1 lead heading into singles play with an 8-5 decision at the top doubles flight.

BSU freshman Tyler Barros (Somerset, Mass.) cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 win at #6 singles to even the match at 2-2. Wilkins earned a 6-0, 6-3 decision at No. 4 singles to reclaim the lead for the hosts. Muttiah dominated at #1 singles, 6-0, 6-0 and Bazile ended the match with a 6-2, 6-0 victory at the second flight.

The remaining two singles matches were left unfinished with Cherico up a set at #3 and BSU sophomore Matthew Krampf (Littleton, Mass.) up a set at #5.