Men's Tennis Edged By RIC, 5-4

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Rhode Island College men's tennis team edged visiting Bridgewater State University, 5-4, in a tightly contested Little East Conference (LEC) match on Tuesday afternoon at the RIC Tennis Center.

The Anchormen improve to 5-4 on the season and 3-1 in the Little East, while the Bears fall to 3-5 overall and 3-1 in conference play. RIC is 11-12 versus Bridgewater since 2000 and 7-6 at home.

RIC captured two of the three doubles matches, while the two teams split the six singles flights.

Sophomores Noah Morin (Smithfield, R.I.) and Elijah Gouin (Glocester, R.I.) teamed up for an 8-4 win at second doubles, while sophomore Zach Siemmao (Wakefield, R.I.) and senior Peter Pond (Providence, R.I.) earned an 8-4 decision at number three to give the hosts an early 2-1 lead.

The BSU senior tandem of Kendan Ziegler (Hadley, N.Y.) and Charles Fiske (Taunton, Mass.) outlasted RIC juniors Josh Brien (Johnston, R.I.) and Jack Cadden (Mattapoisett, Mass.) at the top flight, 8-6, for the Bears' lone doubles point.

Gouin recorded a 7-5, 6-3 straight set win at fourth singles to extend the RIC lead to 3-1. Sophomore Matthew Krampf (Littleton, Mass.) notched a 7-5, 6-4 straight set victory to cut the Bears' deficit to 3-2. Morin split the first two sets at second singles, 6-3, 3-6, before notching the Anchormen's fourth point of the match with a 6-1 win in the third set. Sophomore Andrew Fanning (Greenville, R.I.) then secured the decisive fifth point for RIC with a hard-fought 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 triumph at the sixth spot. The third set was decided in a 7-2 tiebreaker.

Ziegler and freshman Adam Beatrice (Rockland, Mass.) rounded out the scoring in singles play for Bridgewater State to account for the final tally of 5-4. Ziegler won 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 at the topflight, while Beatrice battled back from a set down to record a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) victory at number three.

In upcoming action, the Bears host Roger Williams University on Friday afternoon at 3:30, while the Anchormen entertain Suffolk University on Thursday afternoon also at 3:30.