BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University men's tennis team opened Little East Conference (LEC) play with a 7-2 victory over defending LEC champion UMass Boston on Tuesday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.

The Bears improve to 1-3 on the season and 1-0 in the Little East, while the visiting Beacons fall to 0-5 overall and 0-2 in conference play. UMass had won each of the last ten matches between the two teams.

Bridgewater earned wins by default at number three doubles and number six singles against the shorthanded Beacons.

The Bears led 2-1 after doubles play as BSU graduate student Sean Nutter (Mattapoisett, Mass.) and freshman Adam Beatrice (Rockland, Mass.) paired up for an 8-2 victory at the second flight.

Nutter, senior Charles Fiske (Taunton, Mass.) and sophomore Matthew Krampf (Littleton, Mass.) earned straight wins at the second, fourth and fifth singles flights, respectively, for the Bears with Nutter securing the decisive fifth point. Beatrice battled back from a set down to post a 3-6, 6-1, 12-10 victory at number three.

Junior Patrick Ramos (American Canyon, Calif.) had a hand in each of the Beacons' two points on the day. Ramos recorded a 6-1, 6-1 straight set triumph at the top singles flight and teamed with freshman Maxwell Dill (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) for a tough 8-6 decision at first doubles.

The Bears travel to Eastern Nazarene College tomorrow afternoon to take on the Lions at 3:30. The Beacons head to Curry College on Thursday afternoon for a three o'clock match with the Colonels.