Men's Tennis | 5/3/2024 9:13:48 PM
Top-seeds Houghton University (8-4) and Nazareth University (5-11) advanced to the 2024 Empire 8 Men's Tennis Championship match after earning victories in semifinal action from Houghton on Friday. Houghton recorded a 5-0 victory over No. 4 seed Alfred University, while No. 2 Nazareth defeated No. 3 seed St. John Fisher University, 5-2.
Houghton will take on Nazareth in the 2024 Empire 8 Championship match from Houghton at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The league champion receives an automatic berth into the 2024 NCAA Division III Men’s Tennis Championship, which begins May 10-12, with first, second and third round action. Houghton has won both previous meetings between the two schools this season by identical 6-3 scores at home on April 6 and at Nazareth 13 days later.
It is the fourth straight meeting between the two programs in the Empire 8 Championship. Houghton is looking for its second straight E8 title after defeating Nazareth in the 2023 Championship, 5-0. Houghton defeated Nazareth in the 2021 title match by a 5-4 score. Nazareth won the E8 Championship over Houghton in 2022 by a 5-3 score.
NO. 1 HOUGHTON 5, NO. 4 ALFRED 0
Houghton is moving into its sixth consecutive Empire 8 tournament finals appearance after a 5-0 win over Alfred University on Friday afternoon.
The Highlanders took all three doubles matches to start, as Levi Webb and Nolan Zach earned an 8-1 win at the first spot, Micah Schilke and Graham Cook were victorious, 8-4 at second doubles and the duo of Tobias Webb and Jason Murphy outlasted Alfred’s Rodrigo Perez and Matthew Bittel at third doubles.
Schilke and Zach clinched the win for Houghton with wins at first and third singles, respectively. Schilke defeated Breece Erickson, 6-1, 6-1, while Zach earned a 6-1, 6-2 win over Nick Flemmer.
Alfred’s season comes to an end with a 2-9 record.
NO. 2 NAZARETH 5, NO. 3 ST. JOHN FISHER 2
The Golden Flyers were victorious over the Cardinals for the third time in 2024 to make it back to the Empire 8 Championship match, 5-2 at Houghton.
Nazareth led 2-1 after doubles action. The second doubles duo of
Max Funiciello and
Dominic Vito and the third doubles pairing of
Griffin Bond and
Pierre Ntonga each one by 8-3 scores.
Funiciello was then victorious at second singles 6-4, 6-2.
Noah Britton (fifth singles) and
Chris Benedict (sixth singles) each won their matches 6-2, 6-2.
Tyler Hernandez won both matches on the day for the Cardinals (2-11), teaming with Will Chubb at first doubles before earning a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles.
2024 Empire 8 Men's Tennis Championship Schedule
Friday, May 3 – Semifinals (at Houghton University - Outdoor)
#1 Houghton University defeated #4 Alfred University, 5-0 – BOX SCORE
#2 Nazareth University defeated #3 St. John Fisher University, 5-2 – BOX SCORE
Saturday, May 4 – Championship (at Houghton University – Indoor or Outdoor)
#2 Nazareth University at #1 Houghton University – 1 p.m.
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The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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