Fisher, Ithaca, Nazareth and Stevens Claim E8 Wins on Sunday
STEVENS v HARTWICK
The Stevens Institute of Technology men’s tennis team closed out its three-match weekend with an 8-1 Empire 8 Conference victory over Hartwick College early Sunday afternoon.
Stevens improves to 11-7 overall, with all seven losses coming to nationally ranked opponents, and a perfect 6-0 in the Empire 8 while Hartwick drops to 0-7 (0-4).
After a tough Saturday that included a match against No. 9 Middlebury College, the Ducks gave a number of regulars some well-deserved rest while getting the rest of the team some court time. Freshman Tyler Tisdale (Grapevine, Texas) and junior Derek Smith (Boise, Idaho) moved up to first doubles for the afternoon and won, 8-4. Freshman Jacob Thigpen (Birmingham, Ala.) and senior Brian Liebeskind (Basking Ridge, N.J.) edged out their opponents at second doubles, 8-6, and sophomores Daniel Szwarc (Metuchen, N.J.) and Spencer Lin (Princeton, N.J.) swept third doubles, 8-0, to give the Ducks a 3-0 lead heading into singles play.
Stevens picked up all five singles wins in straight sets, including a 6-0, 6-0 sweep by Swzarc at #5. Smith, Liebeskind and Lin gave away just one game each at second, fourth and sixth singles, respectively, while Thigpen pulled out a tighter affair at third singles, 6-3, 6-1. Tisdale suffered the only loss of the day at first singles, taking a one-set lead with a 6-2 victory in the first set but dropping a tiebreaker, 7-4, in the second and falling by just three points(10-7) once again in the final tiebreaker.
Head Coach Steve Gachko and the Ducks will return to Hoboken to host undefeated No. 30 The College of New Jersey (13-0) in their penultimate match of the regular season on Wednesday, April 24 at 3 p.m.
ITHACA v ALFRED
The Ithaca College men's tennis team defeated Alfred 9-0 on Sunday afternoon to move to 4-1 in Empire 8 play and clinch a spot in the conference tournament. The Bombers are 5-11 overall, while the Saxons fell to 4-8 overall and 1-3 in the conference.
Ithaca's doubles teams won convincingly and only one of the singles matches went to three sets, where David Andersen (Hastings on Hudson/Hastings) won 13-11 in the super-tiebreak at fourth singles to complete the shutout victory.
Ithaca 9, Alfred 0
Singles competition
1. Griffin REID (IC) def. Connor Doud (ALFREDM) 6-3, 6-3
2. Justin LEVINE (IC) def. Peter Benoit (ALFREDM) 6-3, 6-3
3. Chris HAYES (IC) def. Daniel Baruch (ALFREDM) 6-2, 6-4
4. David ANDERSEN (IC) def. Michael Graham (ALFREDM) 6-3, 3-6, 13-11
5. Kyle VAN DELDEN (IC) def. Matt Baloga (ALFREDM) 6-4, 6-0
6. Derryk WILLIAMS (IC) def. Dalton Divine (ALFREDM) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. David ANDERSEN/Chris HAYES (IC) def. Connor Doud/Peter Benoit (ALFREDM) 8-3
2. Justin LEVINE/Griffin REID (IC) def. Daniel Baruch/Michael Graham (ALFREDM) 8-3
3. Joseph HANF/Alex KRUGMAN (IC) def. Trenton Berardi/Matt Baloga (ALFREDM) 8-4
ST. JOHN FISHER v UTICA
The St. John Fisher College men's tennis team raised its record to 2-2 in the Empire 8 Conference with a 9-0 win over visiting Utica College on Sunday.
Fisher's Greg Duffy won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, while Daniel Parshall earned a 6-2, 6-0 win at second singles. The duo also combined for point at second doubles as well.
Tom Quinzi (sixth singles) and Pat McGrath (third singles) won 8-3 at first doubles and picked up points in the singles competition. Nathaniel Ligon won 6-1, 6-0 at fifth singles. He also joined Sheldon Mitchell for an 8-1 victory at third doubles.
Bryan Hanley also prevailed for Fisher at fourth singles.
The Cardinals have a half-match lead over the Soaring Eagles in the conference standings.
NAZARETH v ELMIRA
Visiting Nazareth won all three doubles matches Sunday against Elmira and the Golden flyers went on to take a 7-2 victory over the Soaring Eagles in an Empire 8 Conference men's tennis match.
Nazareth improved to 4-1 in conference matches and to 5-9 overall.
Senior Ryan McCormick and freshman Tyler Williams teamed up for a 9-7 victory at first doubles. Both players also were straight-set winners in singles. Seniors Jeremy Mancus and junior Erik Manske combined for a point at second doubles, while senior Bret Beaver and sophomore Matt Jennings claimed a point at third doubles.
Mancus also won in straight sets at second singles, while Beaver won a tiebreaker at #3 after splitting two sets.