Hayes and Davis' Comeback Win Sparks IC on Senior Day

Hayes and Davis' Comeback Win Sparks IC on Senior Day

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ITHACA, N.Y. —Senior Chris Hayes earned a pair of wins on Senior Day, including a thrilling comeback at first doubles as the Ithaca College men's tennis team knocked off Connecticut College 5-4 Sunday afternoon on the Glazer Arena Tennis Courts.
 
Hayes, who has earned first-team All-Empire 8 at both singles and doubles every year on South Hill, earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at the first singles flight and teamed up with junior Wes Davis for a come-from-behind win at the first doubles flight as Ithaca (12-5) won its eighth straight match.
 
Davis and Hayes trailed 6-1 and faced triple break point in their doubles match but stormed back to earn a 9-8 win. Hayes and Davis improved to 4-0 in doubles play this year.
 
With the two wins, Hayes now has 106 career wins, 60 in singles play and 46 in doubles play. Hayes ranks eighth in school history for career wins, and is fourth in career singles wins.
 
Before the match Hayes, IC's lone senior, was honored for his hard work and dedication to the men's tennis team.
 
In the other doubles matches, junior Nate Wolf and freshman Michael Gardiner earned an 8-2 win at the third flight, while sophomore Lorenzo Viguie-Ramos and freshman Stefan Lazarevic dropped an 8-4 decision at the second flight as IC took a 2-1 lead into the singles matches.
 
Besides Hayes' win, Ithaca received victories from Davis and Wolf as the Bombers avenged a 9-0 loss to the Camels (4-15) during the 2014-15 season.
 
Davis posted a dominant 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles, while Wolf had to rally for his point. Wolf lost the first set, 6-2, but won the next two 7-6 (7-2) and 6-4 to clinch the match for Ithaca.
 
In other singles play, Gardiner won the first set of his first singles match by a 6-2 score, but dropped the next two sets 7-6 (8-6) and 10-5. Junior Brandon Buksbaum fell 6-2, 6-1 in the fifth flight, and Viguie-Ramos lost a 6-3, 6-1 decision in the sixth flight to conclude the scoring.
 
The Bombers, the No. 2 seed for the upcoming Empire 8 tournament, will take on No. 3 St. John Fisher College (9-7, 5-3) Saturday afternoon at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J.
 
Ithaca has advanced into the Empire 8 championship match in each of the last 13 seasons, with the Bombers emerging with five league championships during that span.
 
The Empire 8 championship occurs Sunday.


 
Results vs. Connecticut College (Ithaca won 5-4)
Singles competition
1. Jonathan Kraiger (CONN) def. Michael Gardiner (ITHACA) 2-6, 7-6 (8-6), 10-5
2. Chris Hayes (ITHACA) def. Charlie Williams (CONN) 6-0, 6-1
3. Wes Davis (ITHACA) def. Daniel Maffa (CONN) 6-0, 6-0
4. Nate Wolf (ITHACA) def. Will Cannon (CONN) 2-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4
5. Ben Sachs (CONN) def. Brandon Buksbaum (ITHACA) 6-2, 6-1
6. Ethan Hecker (CONN) def. Lorenzo Viguie-Ramos (ITHACA) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Wes Davis/Chris Hayes (ITHACA) def. Jonathan Kraiger/Ben Sachs (CONN) 9-8 (7-2)
2. Daniel Maffa/Charlie Williams (CONN) def. Stefan Lazarevic/Lorenzo Viguie-Ramos (ITHACA) 8-4
3. Michael Gardiner/Nate Wolf (ITHACA) def. Johnny Cissel/Grant Holloschutz (CONN) 8-2