No. 21 Stevens Falls In NCAA Second Round
BRUNSWICK, Maine (May 14, 2016) – The No. 21 Stevens Institute of Technology men's tennis team was edged by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 5-2 Saturday in a nearly five-hour battle in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The loss ends Stevens' season at 19-8, while MIT moved to 16-4.
MIT grabbed the early lead with an 8-3 win at first doubles over seniors
Matthew Heinrich and
Ben Foran, but Stevens rebounded at third with junior
Michael Feldman and sophomore
Danny Polk's 8-5 victory. The win kept Feldman/Polk undefeated this season at 7-0.
MIT responded however with a 9-7 win at second over sophomore
Kyle Henry and freshman
Kyle Cenderelli, in a hard fought match that saw neither side able to grab more than a two-point advantage at any point.
Heinrich tallied the equalizer with a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles, but MIT answered back with a 6-4, 6-4 win at second, followed by a 6-2, 7-6 win at fifth to put Stevens in a 4-2 hole.
Darkness forced the match indoors soon after that, where MIT clinched the win with a 6-0, 6-7, 6-0 win at sixth over Feldman in a close match.
Foran was in a battle in the third set at third during the clincher, while junior
Charles Drake was also in the third set at fourth after taking the second 6-4.
While Stevens' team season is over, individually Heinrich will compete at the NCAA individual championship, while Heinrich/Foran will represent Stevens at doubles starting on May 26.
1. Cauneac/Lilley (MIT) def. Heinrich/Foran (STEVENS) 8-3
2. Ko/Wang (MIT) def. Henry/Cenderelli (STEVENS) 9-7
3. Polk/Feldman (STEVENS) def. Barr/Walden (MIT) 8-5
1. Heinrich (STEVENS) def. Cauneac (MIT) 6-1, 6-2
2. Wang (MIT) def. Polk (STEVENS) 6-4, 6-4
3. Barr (MIT) vs. Foran (STEVENS) 6-2, 6-7, 2-1
4. Ko (MIT) vs. Drake (STEVENS) 7-5, 4-6, 1-2
5. Gea (MIT) def. Henry (STEVENS) 6-2, 7-6
6. Garcia (MIT) vs. Feldman (STEVENS) 6-0, 6-7, 6-0