Mens Tennis Falls to UMass Dartmouth, 5-4

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University men's tennis team dropped a 5-4 decision to Little East Conference foe UMass Dartmouth on Wednesday afternoon at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.

UMass remains unbeaten on the season as the Corsairs improve to 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the Little East.  Bridgewater slips to 7-7 and 2-3 in conference play.

The Corsair led 2-1 after doubles play as sophomore Karsten Rathlev (Winchester, Mass.) and senior Mike Fink (Sagamore Beach, Mass.) teamed up for an 8-2 win at the top flight, while sophomore Mike Parker (Scituate, Mass.) and freshman Matt Bejtlich (Rochester, Mass.) added an 8-2 triumph at number two.

Bridgewater's lone doubles point came from the third flight pair of freshmen Jesse Gotlib (Dartmouth, Mass.) and Joao Machado (Newton, Mass.).

The Corsairs picked up three singles points to win the match as Rathlev, Parker and Bejtlich all one in straight sets at the first, second and third flights respectively.  Parker needed a second set tie-breaker to win his match over BSU junior Mike Zagame (Uxbridge, Mass.), 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).

Gotlib won in three sets at fifth singles (6-3, 3-6, 6-4) for the Bears as did classmate Cody Farrell (Scituate, Mass.) at number six (6-3, 4-6, 6-2).  BSU sophomore Nicholas Desisto (Uxbridge, Mass.) added a 6-4, 6-2 triumph at the fourth flight.

Bridgewater wraps up regular season play on Saturday when the Bears travel to Western Connecticut State University for a noontime Little East match with the Colonials.  UMass heads to Salem State University on Saturday (noon) for their regular season finale with the Vikings.