By Jim Fenton

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Bridgewater State University men's tennis team had its Little East Conference tournament championship reign come to an end Saturday.

The defending champion Bears were defeated by top-seeded Rhode Island College, 5-1, at the RIC Tennis Center in the title round. It was a rematch of the 2024 championship match held in Bridgewater, Mass.

Second-seeded BSU had a four-match winning streak halted and finished with an 8-5 record.

RIC (12-1) went 6-0 during the conference regular season and won two postseason matches.

The Anchormen will play in the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time next week.

RIC had lost in the Little East final in 2021 to Western Connecticut State, Salem State University in 2023 and to BSU, 5-1, last season.

It is the first Little East title for the Anchormen since 1995. RIC won four in a row from 1992-95.

RIC held a 2-1 lead after the doubles matches and won three singles matches in straight sets for the championship.

At No. 1 doubles, senior Noah Morin (Smithfield, R.I.) and freshman Travis Chartier (Rehoboth, Mass.) defeated BSU junior Adam Beatrice (Rockland, Mass.) and sophomore Khiem Nguyen (Burlington, Vt.), 8-4.

The RIC No. 3 doubles team of freshman James McShane (Riverside, R.I.) and freshman Kyle Neuendorf (Attleboro, Mass.) won over junior Ryan Hebert (Taunton, Mass.) and freshman Tyler Rocchio (Attleboro, Mass.), 8-3.

The lone Bears' win was posted by junior Tom Ayson (Plymouth, Mass.) and sophomore Anthony Lucas (Weymouth, Mass.), 8-6, over senior Elijah Gouin (Glocester, R.I.) and freshman Ethan Clegg (Chepachet, R.I.) at No. 2 doubles.

Clegg was a 6-2, 6-2 winner over Ayson at No. 2 singles while Morin defeated Nguyen, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 3 singles.

Morin's victory was the clincher for RIC and he was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Morin was 2-0 in both No. 3 singles and No. 1 doubles.

Neuendorf scored a 6-0, 6-1 win over senior Matthew Krampf (Littleton, Mass.) at No. 6 singles.

RIC had defeated BSU, 6-3, during the regular season after losing twice to the Bears in '24.