Men's Tennis | 4/28/2023 8:10:08 AM
Top-seeds Houghton College and Nazareth College advanced to the 2023 Empire 8 Men's Tennis Championship match after earning victories in semifinal action from Houghton's Pegula-Kerr Fieldhouse on Friday. Houghton recorded a 5-0 default victory over No. 4 seed Utica University, while No. 2 Nazareth defeated No. 3 seed St. John Fisher College, 5-1.
Houghton will take on Nazareth in the 2023 Empire 8 Championship match from Houghton at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The league champion receives an automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Tennis Championship, which begins May 5-7, with first, second and third round action. Houghton has won both previous meetings between the two schools this season, 8-1 at Nazareth on March 25 and 5-4 at home on April 14.
It is the third straight meeting between the two programs in the Empire 8 Championship. Nazareth is looking for its second straight E8 title after defeating Houghton in the 2022 Championship, 5-3. Houghton defeated Nazareth in the 2021 title match by a 5-4 score.
NO. 1 HOUGHTON 5, NO. 4 UTICA 0
Houghton is moving into its fifth consecutive Empire 8 tournament finals appearance after a 5-0 default win over Utica University on Friday afternoon.
Houghton earned all five points before the match formally began, as Utica had three players in its lineup.
NO. 2 NAZARETH 5, NO. 3 ST. JOHN FISHER 1
The Golden Flyers were victorious over the Cardinals for the third time in 2023 to make it back to the Empire 8 Championship match.
The Golden Flyers took two of three in the doubles matches with
Nathan Allen and
Chris Benedict cruising to an 8-0 victory. Allen/Benedict are now 9-2 overall on the season.
Isiah McMurray and
Pierre Ntonga also won at third doubles, 8-5.
Allen delivered as well in the first singles slot, winning 6-1, 6-2 for his 12th singles win of the season.
Pierre Ntonga was also a winner for Nazareth in the fourth singles slot, winning 6-3, 6-2. He is now 9-4 in singles action this season. The other point for Nazareth came from
Noah Britton at sixth singles, winning 6-3, 6-3, his eighth singles win this year.
2023 Empire 8 Men's Tennis Championship Schedule
Friday, April 28 – Semifinals (at Houghton University)
No. 1 Houghton University defeated No. 4 Utica University, 5-0 by Default
No. 2 Nazareth College defeated No. 3 St. John Fisher University, 5-1 - BOX SCORE
Saturday, May 7 – Championship (at Houghton University)
No. 1 Houghton University vs. No. 2 Nazareth College – 1 p.m.